FLAT OUT
Major homeware chain with 750 branches shuts ‘amazing’ city branch forever as shoppers sob ‘we’re becoming a ghost town’
The retailer says it is 'hopeful' it can find the staff new positions elsewhere
A MAJOR specialist retailer with more than 750 branches has closed an “amazing” outlet for good.
Residents in Winchester, Hampshire, say the city is “becoming a ghost town” due to the number of shops closing down.
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The car and bike specialist Halfords closed its outlet in the Moorside Road Retail Park in Winnall on July 5 after more than two decades of trading.
A spokesperson for the firm said it is supporting staff affected and is "hopeful" of being able to offer roles at alternative sites.
Fans were saddened to see the shop cease trading.
One person wrote on a local news Facebook group: “Amazing customer service there.
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“Went for a battery and the assistant instantly did a full check on the car and called a colleague to talk me through the quirks of the car. They will be so missed.”
Another said: “Ah that’s a shame it's good especially in an emergency.”
While a third person added: “B***dy annoying, it was useful to have somewhere in that industrial estate selling car parts.”
Others highlighted the wider impact of the loss of a number of shops in the city.
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One said: “Another big name going from the city.”
Someone else posted: “This place is becoming a ghost town.”
I work at Halfords and these are the 'funny' things customers say to me every day
And another wrote: “Costa will feel it. Will Pets at Home survive?”
Back in May, Lucy Barrett wrote in a Google review that the staff were “amazing” during a recent visit.
A Halfords spokesperson said: “We can confirm our Halfords Winchester store will be permanently closing.
"We are working hard to support all of those affected and are hopeful of being able to offer those colleagues roles at alternative locations.
"We’d like to thank all our customers for their support of the Winchester store and look forward to welcoming them at our Halfords Eastleigh, Halfords Andover, and Halfords Basingstoke all located within a 20 minutes drive."
It is unclear why this specific store is closing.
Which other retailers are closing branches?
It's not just Halfords that has been closing branches across the UK.
Recent figures from the Centre for Retail Research reveal over 10,000 shops and almost 120,000 retail jobs were lost in 2023.
The high street has been hit hard as shoppers increasingly turn to online retail and away from the high street.
High energy and wage costs have forced many businesses to shut up shop too.
In June last year, Boots announced it would massively consolidate its portfolio of stores from 2,200 to 1,900.
The health and beauty retailer said it would only close branches in areas where there was another nearby.
Meanwhile, popular retailers M&Co, Wilko and Paperchase all fell into administration in 2023.
It comes after Currys, which was also located on the retail park, was closed last year.
The reason given was that it was no longer economically viable.
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In January, Halfords pulled the shutters down on its branch in The Merry Hill Centre, in Brierley Hill, Dudley.
Halfords also closed a string of branches last year, including sites in Cambridge, Lincoln and Gloucestershire.
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