‘Town centres are going down the plug hole’ say shoppers as fashion retailer with 500 branches to shut store in weeks
ONE of Britain’s most iconic fashion retailers will close yet another branch in weeks.
Next will shutter its Centrewest shopping centre outlet, in East Kilbride, in January.
Locals in the South Lanarkshire town branded the closure a “total disgrace” that has left the town like a “hell hole”.
One fumed on Facebook: “East Kilbride Town Centre went right down the plug with most retailers pulling out.
“Other Gov bodies doing the same. It’s just a hell hole.”
While another erupted: “Total disgrace so many now in retail parks with free parking.”
A third said: “That is so so sad I love the clearance store and all the staff are so nice big loose to shoppers there will be nothing left to attract shoppers.”
The branch closure is the latest casualty of Next which announced in September it would shut 11 stores by the end of the year.
The high street chain said six of those were because it expected the stores would not reach target margins.
Two of the closures were due to site redevelopments and the remaining three could not reach agreements with landlords.
It comes as Next is will also close its branch in Oldings Corner retail park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire on January 13.
Despite this, the retailer opened two outlet stores in Gloucester Quays and Fforestfach Retail Park, Swansea, back in April in order to shift clearance items.
The once thriving fashion and homewares store boasts stores in 480 locations across the UK.
Following the East Kilbride store closure, a Next spokesperson told The Sun: “I can confirm that the store will be closing in the New Year, and that the store staff have been made aware.
“Efforts are being made for permanent staff members to be moved to neighbouring stores where positions are available.”