SHOPPERS have been left disappointed after an iconic high street brand with over 1,000 locations closed a store today.
The Argos store in Spalding, Lincs, is rolling down the shutters after years of serving residents in Holland Market.
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However, not everything is lost as shoppers can still shop their favourite items as the outlet will be re-opening a few doors down.
The supermarket giant is opening a new Argos concession in a Spalding supermarket in the coming days.
The move is part of a wave of closures within Holland Market -following the closure of Wilko’s last year.
But the decision has left locals disappointed – with hailing the move a “shame”.
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One shopper said: “It’s economics. Shame of the empty unit though.”
Another frustrated local added: “Not a good move as it will be another empty premises in the town..we soon will have more empty premises than we do shops..we will soon be a ghost town.”
The retailer previously announced plans to close 100 stores within 12 months.
Argos has already closed 42 UK shops, including all 34 of its branches in the Republic of Ireland last June.
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The company is closing standalone Argos stores to integrate concessions within Sainsbury’s sites since the company’s aquicition in 2016.
A spokesperson said: “To make shopping more convenient for customers and to enable us to invest where it matters most, we are relocating many of our standalone Argos stores to Sainsbury’s – this includes our Spalding Argos store.
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“This week, a brand-new Argos will open inside Sainsbury’s Spalding, enabling customers to purchase thousands of technology, home and toy products from Argos while picking up their groceries.”
What other stores have closed already?
ARGOS shut 45 branches in the 12 months to March last year, while at the same time opening 25 branches inside Sainsbury’s stores.
Included in that list, the retailer shut stores in the following locations:
- Coventry
- Nottingham
- Lanarkshire
- Birkenhead
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Kettering Retail Park
A store in Staines-upon-Thames is due to close on February 29.
It also closed all of its 34 stores in the Republic of Ireland on June 24.
The new concession in the Holland Market store is set to open on March 1.
However, amid these closures, there are new openings as well – as Spalding will also welcome another addition to the area.
The Furniture Warehouse is set to open in the former Beales store on Bridge Stgreet.
Which Argos stores are closing down?
The homewares retailer confirmed to The Sun last July that its standalone stores in Grimsby and Scunthorpe would close in August – but it could not confirm the exact dates.
Argos had plans to open stores inside nearby Sainsbury’s stores in both Lincolnshire towns.
An Argos store in St Stephen’s shopping centre in Hull closed in September, but a new concession was understood to be opening in the nearby Sainsbury’s.
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Either way, here is the full list of standalone Argos English stores included in the list of 100, that have already closed:
- Hull
- Grantham
- Grimsby
- Norwich
- Scunthorpe
- Newport
- Cardiff Bay
- Stevenage
