A HOMEWARE chain has launched a closing down sale as it prepares to shut its branch after just two years.
Melbe Home, which opened in Watford’s shopping centre in July 2023, is now offering discounts with signs proclaiming “all stock must go” ahead of its imminent closure.
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The store, known for its authentic Turkish and bohemian-style rugs and pillows, has attracted many customers.
All items are sourced directly from Turkey, ensuring top-quality craftsmanship.
However, the design team is based in the UK, blending both Turkish and British styles.
The store’s unique offerings and the warm, inviting atmosphere made it a favorite for many, especially those looking to add a touch of boho-chic to their homes.
Despite the closure of this location, Melbe Home’s other stores in Hemel Hempstead and St Albans remain unaffected.
Customers from Watford and the surrounding areas will now need to travel to these other locations if they wish to shop for their signature rugs and home décor.
The Watford store’s sudden exit follows the closure of Paperchase six months earlier.
The stationary giant, which had been a staple at Atria Watford, shut its doors after being excluded from a rescue deal that saw the brand bought by Tesco.
This closure is part of a broader trend in the retail industry, where many businesses are struggling to stay afloat in the face of rising costs and shifting consumer habits.
While Atria Watford has generally seen more businesses open than close in recent months, Melbe Home’s departure leaves another unit vacant.
Shoppers are now left wondering what will take its place, as Atria Watford continues to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions.
There has been no official announcement regarding a new tenant for the space, but the centre is likely to seek out a business that can bring new energy to the mall.
As the “all stock must go” sale continues, loyal customers have flocked to the store to grab the last of its offerings at discounted prices.
Many expressed their sadness at the news of its closure, with some sharing fond memories of their shopping experiences there.
The closure of Melbe Home highlights the pressures facing many independent retailers, especially in shopping centres that have seen shifts in foot traffic and changing consumer habits.
While Atria Watford has remained a popular shopping destination, the future of vacant units will be critical in shaping its retail landscape going forward.
Similarly, Turtle Bay in Blackburn recently shut down its site, after eight successful years of serving Caribbean cuisine.
The restaurant chain, known for its vibrant Caribbean flavours, closed the Blackburn branch as part of an ongoing strategy to consolidate and focus on larger markets.
Fans of the location were left disappointed, with many expressing their regret at seeing a popular dining spot disappear.
Retailers are also pulling out of shopping centres.
Franco Manca, the popular pizza chain, closed its Peterborough outlet in March 2024 after just two years of operation.
The closure followed a series of similar shut-downs across the UK as the restaurant chain looked to refocus its efforts on more profitable areas.
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.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
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.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
Meanwhile, Veeraswamy, the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, has faced uncertainty after 99 years of operation.
The restaurant, located on London’s Regent Street, may soon close its doors for good as the landlord plans to convert the space into offices.
This closure is part of a larger trend, with many businesses struggling to adapt to changing consumer spending habits, the dominance of online shopping, and rising operational costs.
The high street is feeling the pressure, as retail parks and online shopping continue to reshape the landscape of traditional shopping centres.
UK high streets have faced a steady decline in recent years, largely due to the rapid rise of online shopping.
Additionally, high inflation has put extra pressure on consumers’ budgets, further impacting spending habits.
A recent PwC report highlighted the ongoing trend of retailers moving away from high streets in 2024.
The report noted that shops in town and city centres are facing increased closures, while retail parks and locations outside these areas are seeing a rise in new openings.
This shift is largely driven by larger retailers and leisure outlets, which are drawn to the convenience retail parks offer shoppers.
The Centre for Retail Research revealed that over 13,000 high street stores closed in 2024, with even more closures expected in 2025.
The analysis found that 13,479 stores, or roughly 37 each day, permanently shut their doors last year.
Independent shops bore the brunt of this decline, with nearly 11,340 closing their doors, marking a 45.5% increase compared to 2023.
The Centre predicts that around 17,350 stores will close in 2025, attributing the rise to a combination of factors, including higher employer National Insurance contributions and an increase in the national minimum wage.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
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