SHOPPERS have cried “another shop bites the dust” as a fashion retailer gears up to close one of its stores.
The Flannels site in Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton, will pull down its shutters for the final time in the new year.
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It is not clear when exactly the store, which only opened in August after taking on the unit from Tessuti, will shut.
A spokesperson for Frasers Group, which owns Flannels, said: “It is with regret that we announce Flannels Bolton will be closing in early 2024.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff for their hard work and dedication.
“Where possible, we are committed to finding new roles within the Group for staff.”
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Flannels sells a number of different brands in its stores, including designer apparel, accessories, and footwear.
It has been running since 1976 and was bought by Mike Ashley‘s Frasers Group in 2017.
The chain now has more than 60 stores across the UK, including its Flannels junior shops.
But shoppers have been left devastated following the latest news about the Bolton branch closure.
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One said: “Another shop bites the dust,” while another commented: “Bolton finished.”
A third said: “How can anyone expect Bolton to thrive when this keeps happening.”
Meanwhile, a fourth wrote: “Wow that didn’t last long.”
It is not the first Flannels store in recent weeks to announce it will welcome in customers for the final time.
A spokesperson for the Frasers Group previously told The Sun it is closing its Bradford branch in early 2024.
Shoppers reacted with bemusement following the news, with one saying: “What a waste of time it was to open at all.”
Another wrote: “The whole place will be pound shops before long.”
The Flannels closures come as other retailers under the Frasers Group name gear up to shut store doors.
A number of Jack Wills stores have closed across the UK already this year, with more set to shut, including one branch in Worcester.
House of Fraser, owned by The Fraser Group, has also announced closures in recent months.
It comes a number of retailers struggle on the high street as consumers turn to online shopping.
High inflation since last year has also seen households’ budgets stretched.
Some firms have collapsed into administration in the last 24 months, including Wilko, M&Co and Paperchase.
Others have been closing branches, including Boots, which said it is consolidating its portfolio from 2,200 to 1,900 stores.
Other chains such as Sainsbury’s and New Look have closed branches too.
But it’s not all bad news as some retailers have been expanding their presence on the high street.
Next has opened five new Clearance stores this year.
The outlets are different to normal Next stores in that they feature a selection of outlet products, past season collections and clearance items at discounted prices you can’t buy anywhere else.
Meanwhile, Clarks has opened eight branches across the UK this year, including in Taunton, Reigate, Manchester and London.
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In July, B&M said it would open several new branches within weeks following a string of closures.
Poundland also has plans to open 75 new stores by Christmas, with many popping up in former Wilko sites.
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