Smiggle has not revealed the exact date of closure just yet – however, an online petition has been set up this month to save the Cwmbran store
Stationery chain Smiggle is set to close another of its stores this summer. The retailer, which was founded in Australia, is shutting its branch in the Cwmbran Shopping Centre in Wales this August.
Smiggle has not revealed the exact date of closure just yet – however, an online petition has been set up this month to save the Cwmbran store.
The petition reads: “This petition is a heartfelt plea to prevent the closure of our beloved Smiggle store in Cwmbran. This store is more than just a retail space – it’s a vibrant corner of our community, a place where children light up with excitement and adults find joy in a wide array of unique and colorful products.
“The closure of this cherished store would not only be a significant loss to the local shopping landscape, but also to the Cwmbran community which benefits from its presence in innumerable ways.
“While the financial pressures on retail spaces are real and challenging, we believe that there are ways to look beyond immediate closure.
“The support from loyal customers has been unwavering, and there’s an opportunity here to harness that dedication to keep this store open and thriving.”
It comes after the stationery chain shut its branch in Inverness, Scotland on May 21, and its Darwin Centre, Shrewsbury, store on May 25. Smiggle was founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, opened its first store in the UK in 2014. It now has more than 100 sites.
Meanwhile, budget retailer Poundland is also set to close its store in Chiswick High Road, London, this week on May 28. It takes the total Poundland closures in May to six branches.
Poundland closed its Clapham Junction Station branch in London on May 2, followed by its Belle Vale Shopping Centre site in Liverpool on May 6, and its St George’s Centre branch in Gravesend on May 8.
Its store in Copdock Mill Interchange, Ipswich, shut on May 20 and its Brackla, Wales, branch closed on May 24. Pepco Group, the owner of Poundland, has announced it is going to sell the discount chain, with a deal expected to be done by September.
It has been reported that a number of investment firms and private equity groups are interested in buying the business – but the Telegraph also claims that up to 200 Poundland stores could still face closure.
Poundland has more than 820 stores and employs more than 16,000 people across the UK, as well as in Ireland, where it is known as Dealz. It was revealed this week that Poundland revenues dropped by 6.5% to €985million (£830million) for the six months to March, compared with a year earlier.