A SUPERMARKET chain has revealed the extract date it will close a “lovely” branch for good.
Booths is closing a store in Hale Barns, which has been around for nine years, early next month.
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The store located on Hale Road in Altrincham will shut its doors for the last time on Sunday, April 7.
Locals took to Facebook after hearing the news with many sad to see the “lovely” store go.
One user said: “Sorry to see it go.”
Another said: “So sad particularly for the staff who work there. Lovely store.”
Read more on store closures
“Please no,” cried a third user.
“Will have to try and visit again before it closes,” said someone else.
A Booths spokesperson told The Sun: “Booths Hale Barns will close on the 7th of April.”
“Closing any Booths store is always a difficult decision and is not a reflection of the dedication of our team at Hale Barns and the wider business.
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“We would like to thank our loyal customers and colleagues and we look forward to welcoming customers at Knutsford Booths.
“We would like to reassure colleagues and customers that we have no further plans to exit any of our other stores.”
However, locals in Hale Barns won’t be without a supermarket for too long.
Asda will be taking over the store just a few weeks later officially opening on Monday, April 29.
The Hale Barns site will become Asda’s second main store in Altrincham.
Local media reports all staff will have their jobs protected and transferred to the new retailer under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment rights).
Earlier this year Asda opened a whopping 21 new express stores across the UK.
Last year the retailer struck a £438 million deal to buy out 132 Co-op sites as it looks to expand the number of its convenience-format stores.
The retailer plans to have opened 356 new locations in total by 2026.
What is happening to the high street?
The pandemic was a tough blow as many stores had to close during lockdown.
Since then energy costs have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some remaining retailers grappling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
For the most part, supermarkets have braved the storm as they provide essential items like food and drink.
Asda is the only supermarket opening new branches, Lidl is looking for investors to build 12 supermarkets after opening two new stores last year.
But other retailers have not been so lucky The Body Shop is currently going through administration and announced plans to close half of its 198 stores with seven already closed.
Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
WHSmith told The Sun it has no plans to open anymore more high street stores as it wants to focus on the travel side of its business.
Major banks have also announced multiple branch closures.
Barclays is to start pulling the shutters down on 14 sites in England, three in Wales and three in Scotland as soon as April.
Even charity shops are struggling Oxfam confirmed it would close eight of its UK stores last year.
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Retailers closing stores in 2024
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
Here’s a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:
- Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
- B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, so chances are you have one near you, but some stores have closed in recent months.
- Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
- Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
- Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
- Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
- Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
- M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
- Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
- WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.
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