‘Where has it gone?’ cry shoppers as bargain store quits shopping centre set to be demolished
SHOPPERS have been left confused after a bargain store quit a shopping centre last weekend.
Discounter store Bargain Land, located in the Hardshaw Centre, St Helens, closed its doors to shoppers for the final time over the weekend.
It comes just months ahead of plans to bulldoze the shopping centre.
Bargain Land fans are now redirected to the chain’s sister store at St Mary’s Arcade.
A sign on the Bargain Land store reads: “We have moved to Discount Land at Church Square, Discount Land 6/8, St Mary’s Arcade, St Helens.”
The shopping centre, which opened in the 1980s, is expected to close towards the end of May 2024, according to the St Helens Star.
Bargain Land isn’t the first store to have left the premises.
TJ Hughes and Bon Marche vacated the Hardshaw Centre earlier this year.
Several stores, including Heron Foods, Alpha News, Womble Inn and Waterfields, remain open.
However, all remaining stores are set to relocate in the coming months.
The Hardshaw Centre will be flattened as part of the first phase of St Helens’ town centre redevelopment.
The English Cities Fund and St Helens Council will pay for this as a partnership project.
The redevelopment of the area around the shopping centre will include a new bus station, the creation of offices, a hotel, a market hall with new food and beverage stalls, plus new homes, including apartments and family homes.
The Hardshaw Centre isn’t the only shopping centre set for closure this year.
The Keel Row Shopping Centre in Blyth will close for the final time on Thursday, February 29.
It came after the council acquired the retail complex back in July 2023.
But it’s now been confirmed that it’ll be demolished, which means the remaining stores must vacate the premises within weeks.
Bonmarché will vacate the site on February 20.
Other high street closures
Retailers have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year and more are on their way.
Several major brands have also collapsed, such as Wilko and Paperchase.
Last week, The Body Shop confirmed it has gone into administration, putting 200 stores at risk of closure.
The Sun has compiled a complete list of The Body Shop stores in the UK at risk of being lost forever.
But there is a glimmer of hope as official figures revealed that shops have returned from a record poor performance in December.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that retail sales volumes, including online retailers, rose 3.4% during January, up from a fall of 3.3% in December.
It was the fastest rise since April 2021, when non-essential retailers were allowed to reopen following the third national lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Several big-name chains are pulling down the shutters for the final time this month.
Lidl and Iceland are closing branches between now and February 29.
Matalan, which currently runs over 230 UK stores, is pulling down the shutters on one of its sites before the end of the month.
The retailer, known for selling everything from clothing to home and kidswear, is closing its store in The Core Shopping Centre on The Headrow, Leeds, on February 24, according to local news reports.
Boots has also revealed it is closing 300 stores over the next year as part of its plans to evolve its brand.