A popular DIY store with more than 230 branches is set to close permanently within the next few days.
Shoppers were left in tears after Wickes announced it was closing its Bristol branch.
The trade and DIY shop in Winterstoke Road, Ashton Gate, shuttered on February 24, leaving local customers sobbing.
Reacting to the news, one shopper wrote on Facebook: “The days of DIY are over.”
Another said: “I can't believe it. I started working there 40 years ago and now this is happening.”
A third said: “Time flies so fast.”
Around 30 employees are expected to be affected by the store closure, and all will be relocated elsewhere, local news site Bristol World reported.
Signs have been posted around the store encouraging customers to visit their nearest branch on Aldermoor Way in Longwell Green.
Wickes has not yet officially announced the reason for the move, but it is believed to have something to do with plans to build a new sports quarter on the store's site and nearby businesses.
The Sun has contacted Mr Wicks for comment.
Full list of Wickes stores
UK retail apocalypse
It comes as retailers are forced to close stores due to the cost of living crisis, high inflation and rising energy costs.
According to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the UK has lost 6,000 stores in five years.
A number of high street brands have collapsed in the past 12 months, including discount giant Wilco.
However, the store has since returned to the high street under The Range ownership, and Wilco-branded items are now stocked in The Range stores.
M&Co and Joules are both among the famous brands that went bankrupt in 2022.
Paperchase then went bankrupt at the end of January last year, after which all 106 stores closed permanently.
Stores such as Next, Boots, The Entertainer, Iceland, Clarks and WHSmith were also hit.
And Argos, Next, Jack Wills and Poundland have all announced the permanent closure of some branches this year.
In the latest blow, famous cosmetics group The Body Shop announced it would close almost half of its 198 stores following the fall of the regime.
The iconic beauty retailer confirmed to The Sun that seven stores will close with immediate effect.
Complete list of stores that have closed so far:
- Surrey Quays, London
- Oxford Street, Bond Street, London
- canary wharf, london
- cheapside, london
- Nuneaton, Warwickshire
- Ashford Town, Kent
- bristol queens road
We have compiled a list of all Body Shop stores at risk of closure.
British retailers saw their sales of goods fall at the fastest pace in three years last month as under-pressure households shifted some of their Christmas shopping to earlier this year.
Sales volumes fell 3.2% in December, slowing from a 1.4% increase in the previous month, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
Several major chains will close for the last time this month.
Helen Dickinson OBE, the industry body's chief executive, said the closures were due to “catastrophic” business rates and the impact of the coronavirus lockdown.
good news
Thankfully, some shops are bucking the trend and opening new locations.
Primark said it has opened five new branches, with one expected to open in the coming weeks.
B&M plans to open six new stores in early 2024, including the former Wilco stores it has taken over.
Beauty retailer Sephora will open its third store in Manchester this year.
Another skincare and make-up icon, Avon, is set to open a store in the UK for the first time in its more than 100-year history.
Costco plans to open 14 new stores in the UK over the next two years, while Greggs plans to add up to 160 stores this year.
See the full list of shops opening on the high street in our roundup.