‘Prices are crazy’ cry shoppers as major retailer launches giant sale at branch ahead of closure – it’s not all bad news
A MAJOR retailer has launched a giant 75% off sale at one of its branches before it closes permanently.
Dunelm is pulling down the shutters on its shop in Straiton Retail Park, Edinburgh, and is offering heavy discounts on stock.
Posting on Facebook, shoppers have been sharing how they’ve bagged some major discounts, or are keen to snap some up.
One said: “Oh I love a wee mooch around that shop.”
Another added: “The prices are crazy.”
And a third, tagging a friend, chimed in: “Lets go lol.”
The sale comes days before the giant retailer relocates to a larger premises nearby, with the new store opening on May 21.
Wayne Hynes, regional manager at Dunelm, told the Edinburgh Evening News the chain was “excited” to be relocating to a larger store which can offer customers greater variety of products.
He added: “The team has been working incredibly hard to get everything set up and ready.
“We can’t wait to welcome our customers into our amazing new home!”
It comes after Dunelm’s boss said last summer it was keen on snapping up former Wilko sites.
The discounter fell into administration last August, leading to the closure of hundreds of stores which some retailers snapped up.
In February, Dunelm posted its results for the 26 weeks to December 30 last year, noting strong sales growth of 4.5%.
It also said it was “continuing to invest for the long term in new store openings”.
The retailer, which sells everything from bedding to homeware and curtains, said it was on track to open five to 10 new stores in the 2024 financial year.
What else is happening on the high street?
The high street has been hit hard in recent years due to a number of factors.
Why are retailers closing stores?
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 after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.
Households tend to do a lot more of their shopping online now, a trend which was intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic.
High wage and energy costs have further piled pressure on retailers.
Some have gone into administration, most notably Ted Baker, Wilko and The Body Shop since last year.
Others have had to shut shops to consolidate their portfolios, including WHSmith which is closing hundreds of stores.
Others have pulled down the shutters on individual shops.
It is not all one-way traffic though, and some chains have been opening branches across the UK in a boost for the sector.
Poundland, Lidl and Aldi have all been expanding, pouncing on shoppers’ appetites for cheap and good quality produce.
Health and beauty retailer Superdrug recently said it wants to open 25 new branches across the UK.
Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores in recent months as it looks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
And B&M plans to open “not less than” 45 brand new stores across the UK in each of the next two consecutive years.
The Sun asked Dunelm to comment.
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