Beloved department store to close after eight years as shoppers left gutted
A BELOVED boutique department store is set to shut its doors for good, leaving loyal shoppers devastated.
The retail store will close after eight years of being in business, becoming a community staple.
Sandersons, located in the Fox Valley shopping complex in Sheffield, will close in March following a review of the business.
The family-run store, which first opened in 2016 on the site of a former steelworks, was unveiled with fanfare by actress Joanna Lumley.
Over the years, it became a centrepiece of the retail park, employing 19 staff and offering shoppers a mix of luxury brands and unique items.
However, the company has confirmed that it will focus on its store in Stroud and expand its growing online business.
In a heartfelt statement, Sandersons said: “We are sorry to tell you that our Fox Valley store will close in March. We’ve loved being part of the community here and look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks.
“We have seen significant growth in our online business, and our unique range of brands will continue to be available to all our customers.
“We’ll also be introducing some great deals across our top brands in the closing down sale.”
The closure has left customers heartbroken, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment.
One shopper wrote: “Absolutely gutted. It’s my favorite shop of all time and has been since you opened. The staff have become friends, and the spa is amazing. Such a loss for our area.”
Another added: “This is such a shame. Sadly, the things they now sell are out of most people’s price range. When it first opened, they had a far better choice at affordable prices.”
A third said: “Heartbreaking news. I recently came to buy a Pandora bracelet as a treat. Such a stylish shop — it will be missed.”
Sandersons, which is owned by Dransfield Properties, also owns the Fox Valley site.
The company said it would assist staff impacted by the closure to secure new positions and hinted at exciting future plans for the shopping centre.
A spokesperson said: “Fox Valley has become a strong and successful retail destination, with increased demand from national retailers to take space. We will shortly be announcing plans to consolidate and grow the center.”
Sheffield has seen several department stores disappear in recent years, with both Debenhams and John Lewis closing their city center branches in 2021.
Shoppers visiting Sandersons in its final weeks will be treated to discounts across all brands as part of a closing-down sale.
MORE JOB LOSSES ON THE WAY
Sandersons has pledged to assist staff affected by the closure in securing new positions.
Almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024 after a challenging year for high street firms.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
RETAIL SECTOR STRUGGLES
The retail sector’s woes have been ongoing for years, even before the Government’s Autumn Budget.
The Centre for Retail Research has described the industry as going through a “permacrisis” since the 2008 financial crisis.
A number of factors have seen the industry struggling, including the rise of online shopping and lower footfall to stores, the coronavirus pandemic and the increased cost of living for households.
In recent years, a number of major chains have collapsed into administration leading to the closure of hundreds of shops.
This includes Ted Baker, Homebase, Carpetright and discount giant Wilko.
Other retailers have stayed afloat but have decided to downsize their store portfolios, like Boots.
Independent retailers across the UK have been hit particularly hard.
The Centre for Retail Research said 11,341 independent stores shut in 2024, a 45.5% jump from 2023.
But it’s not all been bad news across the sector, with a number of retailers including B&M, Aldi and Lidl announcing in recent years plans to open hundreds of branches between them.
Why are retailers closing stores?
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 coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.