A MAJOR retailer used by millions of drivers across the UK is to abruptly close another branch.
Halfords is pulling down the shutters on its branch in The Merry Hill Centre, in Brierley Hill, Dudley.
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The store which specialises in motoring and cycling products and services will close for the final time on Friday, January 26.
Eagle-eyed shoppers spotted a sign in the shops window confirming the closure.
The sign read: “This store’s now closing, but we’re still local.
“Our Merry Hill store is closing on January 26, but don’t worry!
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“Birchfield Road, Warley, Oldbury, B69 1DT and Springvale Retail Park, Springvale Way, Bilston, WV14 0QL.”
Halfords confirmed the clousure in a statement to The Sun.
A spokeswoman said: “We can confirm the Halfords store in Merry Hill is due to close and staff are aware of the closure.
“Customers will still be able to purchase from Halfords.com.
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“We are working hard to support all of those affected.”
Many customers have now taken social media to share their disappointment over the decision.
One Facebook user said: “That’s a shame, was one of the first stores at Merry Hill in the 80s.”
A second cried: “Nooooooo!”
Another shopper wrote: “No way! Another one bites the dust.”
And a fourth added: “Halfords is brilliant for go to help, they have helped me many times.
“I do wish folk would stop buying online and shop local”
It comes after Halfords closed a string of branches last year, including sites in Cambridge, Lincoln and Gloucestershire.
Branches closed for good include:
- Meadowlands Retail Park, Cambridge – February 2023
- Halfords Autocentre, Bellman’s Close, Largs – February 2023
- East Road Retail Park, Irvine – March 2023
- Stroud, Gloucestershire – August 2023
- Wragby Road, Lincoln – November 2023
In July 2020, Halford earmarked 60 stores and garages for closure following a hit in its sales due to coronavirus.
At the time, it operated over 445 stores as well as more than 370 garages in the UK.
Halfords currently runs over 400 shops and over 300 garages.
Which other retailers are closing stores?
It’s not just Halfords that has been closing branches across the UK.
Recent figures from the Centre for Retail Research reveal over 10,000 shops and almost 120,000 retail jobs were lost in 2023.
The high street has been hit hard as shoppers increasingly turn to online retail and away from the high street.
High energy and wage costs have forced many businesses to shut up shop too.
In June last year, Boots announced it would massively consolidate its portfolio of stores from 2,200 to 1,900.
The health and beauty retailer said it would only close branches in areas where there was another nearby.
Meanwhile, popular retailers M&Co, Wilko and Paperchase all fell into administration in 2023.
All three have relaunched either online or with new stores since however.
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Fashion retailer Next also shuttered 11 branches last year, with a further store in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, closing tomorrow.
In total, three retailers are closing stores just this week.
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