Dobbies is permanently closing its branches in Gloucester, King’s Lynn and Pennine today after it was given permission for a major restructuring plan by the Court of Session in Scotland
Dobbies is closing three stores today – before seven more shut their doors for the final time later this month.
The garden centre chain is permanently closing its branches in Gloucester, King’s Lynn and Pennine today. It comes after Dobbies was given permission by the Court of Session in Scotland to exit the leases of ten branches, while an additional two stores in Morpeth and Stapleton will move to other garden centre operators.
Its store in Antrim was also due to close, but will now stay open after Dobbies reached a new agreement with the landlord. But sadly, six of its smaller Little Dobbies stores have already closed – you can find a full list of the branches that have shut below.
Before it was given the green light from the court to close stores, Dobbies said its closures would affect 465 employees. Before it began to close stores, the gardening centre chain employed roughly 3,600 people and had 77 shops across the UK.
Gardenforum previously reported how the stores that were closing are all holding closing down sales to clear their remaining stock. Dobbies was bought by investment firm Ares Management last year and fell to a £105.2million pre-tax loss in the year to March 2023, against a £7million loss a year earlier, according to its most-recently filed company accounts.
A spokesperson for Dobbies said: “We’re pleased to have worked constructively with landlords on the Restructuring Plan (RP). The approval of the RP means we can now be focused on the future, building a strong platform for a return to sustainable profitability in our stores across the UK. Thank you to all our colleagues, customers and suppliers who supported us during this process.”
In a statement that was published in October, after announcing its intention to close stores, a spokesperson from Dobbies said: “Dobbies will operate 60 stores and continue to play a key role in the market, working constructively with stakeholders and suppliers, and having an active and committed role in the communities in which it’s based.”
Full list of Dobbies store closures
- Gloucester – December 15
- King’s Lynn – December 15
- Pennine – December 15
- Altrincham – December 17
- Harlestone Heath – December 17
- Gosforth – December 19
- Inverness – December 23
- Reading – December 23
- Stratford-upon-Avon on – December 23
- Huntingdon – December 23
Full list of Little Dobbies that have already shut
- Little Dobbies – Bristol – already closed
- Little Dobbies – Richmond – already closed
- Little Dobbies – Cheltenham – already closed
- Little Dobbies – Edinburgh Stockbridge – already closed
- Little Dobbies – Chiswick – already closed
- Little Dobbies – Westbourne Grove – already closed
