‘Absolute joke’ cry shoppers as major shoe chain with 130 shops abruptly closes store

SHOPPERS have cried it's an "absolute joke" after a retailer with 130 stores abruptly closed one of its shops.

Schuh has pulled down the shutters on its site in the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness.

The Sun approached Schuh to confirm the date that the branch closed and for comment.

A notice to customers appeared on the door informing them of the closure, according to local news reports.

It read: "We are sorry to say Schuh Eastgate is now closed.

"Our new store is now located at Inverness Retail Park. Look forward to seeing you there."

The branch now appears as "closed" on Schuh's store locator tool.

Shoppers have reacted online to the news that the store has closed.

One Facebook user said: "Soon there will be no shops in the shopping centre.

" All the good ones have all gone - an absolute joke of a shopping centre for a so-called city!"

Another cried: "Another Eastgate store closing. Worst town centre ever."

A third fumed: "So sad. Eastgate is dying on its feet ."

While a fourth social media user wrote: "No blooming wonder! It's like a ghost town in there now."

Schuh isn't the only chain closing branches across the UK - the high street has taken a battering in recent months and years.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium reveal 6,000 retail outlets have closed their doors for good in the last five years.

The trade association said the closures are in part due to "crippling" business rates and the impact of Covid lockdowns.

B&M, Byron Burger, Cineworld, Farmfoods, M&S, Sports Direct and WHSmith are also closing a handful of stores between them before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Boots is pulling down the shutter on dozens of stores.

Several noticeable brands have gone bust completely this year too, including Paperchase, M&Co and Cath Kidston.

It's not all bad news though, as a number of retailer are opening branches and expanding their portfolios, including Clarks.

It has opened eight branches across the UK this year, including in Taunton, Reigate, Manchester and London.

Meanwhile, in July, B&M said it would open several new branches within weeks following a string of closures.