Triple blow for once-popular shopping centre as two major stores suddenly close down – with third hanging in the balance
A ONCE-LOVED shopping centre faces a triple blow as two stores announce a shock closure with one more at risk.
Furious shoppers said soon there won’t be a reason to visit their town centre.
A New Look and River Island on Willow Place are both closing in Corby, Northamptonshire, with a WH Smith store hanging in the balance.
The three shops stand next to each other and have been a staple selection on the high street for years.
On June 1, the two-story New Look will sell its last garment and at the end of April River Island will shutter.
The iconic WH Smith store is part of a large-scale company shake-up as the chain has been sold for £76million.
Many branches are set to vanish from the high street – with hundreds of shops being reborn as TG Jones.
Some 500 other stores are said to shorty be putting “for sales” signs in the window, so the fate of the Corby store is unknown.
New Look, River Island, and WH Smith have stood on Willow Place for over 15 years.
A New Look spokeswoman told the Northamptonshire Telegraph: “Our Corby store is set to close on June 1.
“We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years.
“We hope customers continue to shop with us online at newlook.com, where our full product ranges can be found.”
Residents of Corby took to social media to express their disappointment, with one saying the high street feels like a “ghost town.”
One disheartened shopper said: “Sad news, getting rid of two popular shops New Look and River Island.”
Others commented: “Will be absolutely no point having a town centre soon enough.
“There are barely any decent shops as it is.”
A third customer responded: “It’s already like walking through a ghost town.
“The last time I was there the only places that were busy were McDonalds, Iceland & Greggs.”
Another user slammed the announcement as: “Disgusting.”
TROUBLE ON THE HIGH STREET
It isn’t just WH Smith that is going through a major restructuring.
New Look is also going through major restructuring leaving hundreds of stores at risk of shutting.
Shoe Zone has already closed a string of stores across the UK, including recent shutdowns in Boscombe, Bournemouth and Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
Morrisons will be scrapping 52 cafes and 17 stores in a cost-cutting shake-up.
The retailer is accelerating plans to close nearly 100 stores, following challenges linked to the tax changes announced in the Autumn Budget.
Approximately a quarter of the retailer’s 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.
Plenty of other retailers are closing stores across the high street as households lean more towards online shopping and amid high business rates.
Soaring inflation in recent years has also dented shoppers’ pockets.
The Centre for Retail Research’s latest analysis suggests 13,479 stores, the equivalent of 37 each day, shut for good in 2024.
Of those, 11,341 were independent shops while 2,138 were shut by larger retailers.
The Sun has reached out to Corby Town Council for a comment.