High street giant B&M is to begin closing some of its stores across the UK over the next few weeks. The retailer, which competes with the likes of Home Bargains, Aldi's middle aisle and Wilko, is a staple for many shoppers looking to buy home essentials and more novelty purchases.
But now B&M has announced that some of its stores will be closing for good over the next few weeks. But while other major chains have been forced to close shops due to the 'diminishing high street', this is not the case for B&M.
The chain says it is shutting shops to make way for newer stores - a rare uplifting boost for the UK high street in the current climate. The B&M store at Maesglas Retail Park in Newport, Wales will be closing its doors this Saturday (March 4).
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It comes after the discount retailer closed the doors of its Stockton store in the Castlegate Shopping Centre over the weekend so it can be relocated to a bigger unit. B&M said this new store, which is based in the old M&S site, will be opening in the next few days.
Another B&M site, currently based at Queens Drive Retail Park in Kilmarnock, Scotland, is currently transitioning over to its new site at Glencairn Retail Park. The new store opened on Saturday, February 4, and the older site will stop trading towards the end of this month on March 26.
Finally, the retailer's site in Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Bristol is set to close in April as the shopping centre it is situated in, is planned to be demolished. Alongside this, B&M is planning on opening even more stores over the next few months, after opening several over the last year.
Scunthorpe's Debenhams store in North Lincolnshire Shopping Park it to be taken over by a B&M branch - which will relocate from a much smaller unit within the same retail park. B&M is also opening a brand new store and garden centre in Barnsley on March 4.
As of 2023, the bargain retailer has over 700 stores across the UK and you can use its store finder to find your nearest location. Discount stores such as B&M Bargains and Home Bargains have always been widely popular but since the cost of living crisis many are turning to these types of retailers to cut their costs at this time, says the Mirror.
In November last year, B&M reported a 1.8% increase in sales in its six-month trading update and the retailer's chief executive Alex Russo said the chain wanted to continue to support customers with their discount pricing.
He said: "We will do our very best to help them weather the cost of living crisis”.
The full list of closures includes:
- Maesglas Retail Park, Newport - March 4
- Castlegate Shopping Centre, Stockton - CLOSED
- Queens Drive Retail Park, Kilmarnock - March 26
- Bristol, Broadwalk Shopping Centre - Early April
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