AN iconic high street chain is set to abruptly shut another of its shops in the coming months.
Argos is pulling down the shutters on the branch as part of wider plans to close 100 stores within 12 months.
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Argos has now confirmed that the shop in Kingstown, Carlisle will be shutting it doors.
The site is set to close in March next year, but has not given an exact date.
Sainsbury’s, which owns Argos, has said the move is in a bid to expand Argos’ presence in its supermarkets.
So far it has already shut more than 45 branches in the last 12 months and opened up over 25 branches inside Sainsbury’s stores.
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Shoppers have taken to social media to express their concern over the closure.
One posted on Facebook: “That’s terrible the last thing you want to hear right now.
“This end of the country will have no shops left at all they are dwindling so fast.”
Another said: “There will be nothing left in Carlisle.”
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A third commented: “Very sad, the next generation will never know that feeling of being given the Argos book to tick off what you wanted off Santa.”
A fourth wrote: “Another one bites the dust.”
While a fifth posted: “Too many losses of decent shops and pubs in Carlisle.”
And another said: “Are there going to be any shops left in Carlisle? I think the rent and business rates may be pushing a lot of physical stores to close.”
An Argos spokesperson confirmed that the shop is shutting and said shoppers will be able to shop at the Argos within Sainsbury’s in Carlisle.
They said: “We are currently talking to our colleagues in our Carlisle Argos store, which we have made the difficult decision to close.
“We understand this will be an unsettling time for those affected and we are supporting them in every way we can, including exploring opportunities for colleagues to redeploy within Argos and Sainsbury’s.”
They added that Argos regularly reviews its property estate and the decision to close a store is “never taken lightly” and that it is “based on a range of factors”.
By March 2024, Sainsbury’s expects to have 160 standalone stores and between 430 and 460 Argos counters inside Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
Argos had already shut 45 branches in the last 12 months up to March this year.
At the same time, it opened 25 branches inside Sainsbury’s stores.
Among the standalone stores which have closed are sites in Stevenage, Coventry, Nottingham, Lanarkshire and Birkenhead.
It also closed all of its 34 stores in the Republic of Ireland on June 24.
The company blamed the closure of the Republic of Ireland stores on the investment required to develop and modernise the Irish part of its business as “not viable”.
Many high street retailers have been struggling to get buy over the past few years, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Energy costs have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some retailers grappling with budgets and have no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
Next Home is set to pull down the shutters on its branch at the Crescent Link Retail Park in Derry, Northern Ireland, next year.
Jack Wills in Worcester announced it will be closing down for good this new year.
Co-op‘s College Green store in Bristol will be closing its doors for the final time on December 9.
It’s not just shops either, pubs and restaurants have been affected too.
Punters have been left gutted and reminiscing over their last pint as another Wetherspoons pub closed this weekend.
Franco Manca, which has 70 branches, is to close its original site after 15 years.
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Meanwhile, here is every shop closing down in December including Poundland and New Look.
Plus, a high street giant is pulling down the shutters on another branch in what has been described as a “huge blow” to the area.
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