Major shoe retailer Shoezone is to shut another of its 320 stores as high street shoppers say ‘it’s all over’ for the city centre properties, with another saying they are ‘shocked’ it’s closing
A major shoe retailer is set to shut another of its 320 stores as high street shoppers say “it’s all over” for the brand.
Shoezone has confirmed it will close a store in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent as “closing down” signs are spotted in the windows of the high street staple. Members of the public were “shocked” by the closure and have said the whole city is suffering as a stream of stores shut down.
Shopper Tracey Bradbury, 52, of Hanley, said: “I am shocked that it is closing. It is another one going. It is going to be a ghost town up here before you know it. I have shopped at Shoezone. It sells good shoes. It is hard to find shoes you want online. You have to go into a shop to try them on.”
Another shopper added: “The whole city is lost to businesses because councils allowed out of town shopping centre’s to be built.” A third said: “It’s all over.” Shoezone stores across the country are set to close in the coming weeks after 13 stores closed through 2023. Members of the public now fear the city centre will be a “ghost town”, StokeonTrentLive reported.
Major high street favourites like The Works and M&S have recently confirmed they will also be shutting stores across the country. M&S regional manager Craig Burton blamed the closure on “changing shopping habits” which meant M&S had to “rotate” its store estate. The retailer is currently reducing the number of its “full line” stores from 247 to 180.
Discount store The Works, which sells everything from arts and crafts to gifts, toys and stationery, will be closing down the shutters at its branch in Fforestfach Retail Park in Swansea this weekend. A spokesperson for the company said the retailer had “been unable to agree on suitable lease terms to stay” which meant the Swansea site had to close.
