Popular shoe shop chain with over 30 branches to close sites in DAYS
A POPULAR shoe shop chain with over 30 branches is set to close its sites in a matter of days.
The Russell & Bromley store in Kent has been opened to customers for years.
But bosses have now confirmed the branch in Tunbridge Wells will close its doors on November 11.
The large store on Mount Pleasant is on the road which links the top of town with the bustling High Street.
Shoppers flocking to the upmarket show and handbag shop are now ready to say their last goodbyes.
A spokesperson said: “We are closing out existing Tunbridge Wells store.”
“We have 33 stores across the UK and Dublin without Tunbridge Wells currently as it stands.”
However, bosses added it will not be the end of Russell & Bromley in Tunbridge Wells.
Chief executive Andrew Bromley previously revealed the company was rethinking its strategy and is planning to relocate its stores elsewhere.
He said shopping on main city streets and shopping centres had “fallen off” in recent years as a result of the pandemic.
“It’s in our ambition to find an improved location and we will update people in due course,” the spokesperson added.
The store is located near the railway station and it boasts huge windows with plenty of potential to attract shoppers.
And it is also close to the department store Hoopers.
No details have been given of potential sites yet, but plans have been submitted for flats to be built for the Mount Pleasant site.
Russell & Bromley isn’t the only high street to close its doors.
Boots is closing five stores, many of which provide community pharmacy services, before the end of 2023.
Budget chain B&M is closing and relocating one of its stores to create a “bigger and better” experience
DIY chain Homebase is closing two stores in November and a third in December.
Cineworld, Clarks, M&S and Tesco are also closing a handful of stores before the end of the year.
The cost of living crisis, stubbornly high inflation and energy costs are taking their toll on retailers.
Shoppers have been cutting back spending, while the cost of actually running a store has also increased, meaning some outlets have struggled to keep going.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) this summer found the UK had lost 6,000 stores over a five-year period.
Several major brands have also collapsed and closed stores for good.
What about store openings?
While a raft of stores are set to close, shoppers have reason to be cheerful as other retailers are actually expanding this year.
The Sun recently revealed discount retailer Costco is expanding in the UK and is planning to open 14 more warehouses over the next two years.
Bonmarche is opening at least seven new stores after filing for administration in 2019, while The White Company is due to open new stores in October and November.
Once-huge bakery chain Patisserie Valerie, which also collapsed into administration and closed most of its stores, has started reopening branches, as revealed by the Sun.
We also recently revealed bakeries Wenzels, Greggs, Dunkin’ Donuts and The Cornish Bakery are all in the process of expanding in the UK.