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Argos UK store closures – which branches are closing and why?
ARGOS has closed dozens of stores over the last two years but it's not planning on stopping there.
The high street retailer has already closed 42 UK shops, including all 34 of its branches in the Republic of Ireland last June.
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We explain how many Argos stores will be closing and why. Here's what we know.
How many Argos stores will be closing and why?
In July last year, Argos announced plans to close 100 UK branches over the following 12 months.
The closures are part of the retailer's plan to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
A spokesperson for Argos previously told The Sun: "The transformation of our Argos store and distribution network has been progressing at pace for several years now, improving availability, convenience and service for customers."
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"As part of this, we are continuing to open new Argos stores and collection points in many of our Sainsbury’s supermarkets, enabling customers to purchase thousands of technology, home and toy products from Argos while picking up their groceries."
By March 2024, Sainsbury's expects to have 160 standalone stores and between 430 and 460 Argos counters inside Sainsbury's supermarkets.
But despite the announcement the branches would close, Argos did not reveal the names of all the locations it would be closing.
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.
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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.
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
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 full list of stores that closed down in Ireland are:
- Ashbourne Retail Park
- Athlone Argos
- Blanchardstown West End Argos
- Carlow Argos
- Castlebar Argos
- Cavan Argos
- Clonmel Argos
- Cork Mahon Argos
- Cork Retail Park Argos
- Drogheda Argos
- Dun Laoghaire Argos
- Dundalk Retail Park Argos
- Dundrum Argos
- Galway Argos
- Ilac Centre (Dublin) Argos
- Kilkenny Argos
- Killarney Argos
- Letterkenny Argos
- Liffey Valley Argos
- Limerick Childers Road Argos
- Longford Argos
- Monaghan Argos
- Naas Argos
- Navan Argos
- Omni Park (Dublin) Argos
- Portlaoise Argos
- Rathfarnham Nutgrove Argos
- Sligo Argos 4146
- St. Stephens Green (Dublin)
- Tallaght Argos
- Tralee Argos
- Tullamore Argos
- Waterford Argos
- Wexford Argos
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".
By March 2024, Sainsbury's expects to have 160 standalone stores and between 430 and 460 Argos counters inside Sainsbury's supermarkets.
It follows a tumultuous time for UK high streets with several popular chains including M&Co, Paperchase and Wilko closing all stores in 2023.
Several other retailers have been struggling to get by over the past few years.
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 having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
The Body Shop is currently going through administration and announced plans to close half of its 198 stores with seven already closing last week.
Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
Shops aren't the only ones affected, banks have also announced multiple branch closures.
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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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