Bakery giant with over 2,500 branches across UK to shut store for good in weeks

Posted by Admin December 19, 2024 Shopping

A BAKERY giant is set to close a store for good in the New Year sparking outrage from locals.

The bargain bakery has confirmed it will draw its shutters for the last time within weeks.

Greggs on Foleshill Road will be closing in January

It comes after a beloved Greggs in Coventry announced it will be closing to the public on January 4.

The Foleshill staff placed a sign on the window which read: “Sorry, we are closing on January 4, 2025.

“Your nearest shop is 118/120 Jubilee Crescent, Radford.”

Greggs confirmed the store is closing to The Sun but it’s not part of any wider plans to cut branches.

It is hoping to redeploy the existing staff to nearby stores.

Big businesses like Greggs will review the performance of each store regularly and decide whether to keep them open or not.

Sometimes they may decide to open a store in a different – more popular – location, but it doesn’t mean that the chain is struggling.

It is quite normal for businesses to do on a regular basis.

However many locals were devastated by the news and did not see any reason to move the store.

One person wrote on Facebook: “This Greggs is very popular and will be sorely missed.”

Inside Greggs’ outlet stores where food is 75% cheaper

Another said: “That is sad news. Greggs is a great cake shop.

“I used to take my daughter to that particular one when she was still in her pushchair.”

While another fretted: “We will soon have no shops left.”

However, with over 2,500 Greggs in the UK, the closure does not seem to be due to a wider issue within the company.

This includes over 500 branches with franchise partners, such as Tesco, Asda and a range of service stations.

Last year it also unveiled a 24-hour drive-through service which can now be found in 32 locations across the UK.

Greggs is in fact ever-expanding as the chain aims to hit 3,000 shops in the near future.

To find your nearest Greggs go on its website and use the Store Locator tool.

You can also order your food to be delivered online from most branches via Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

Other closure news

Unlike Greggs which provides varied services, many stores which rely on high street footfall are suffering with the cost of living.

Increased online shopping and hiked-up rent prices have spurred huge numbers of closures in towns.

For example, Homebase crashed into administration last month, but it was partially rescued by billionaire Chris Dawson who owns The Range and Wilko.

He is looking to retain up to 70 stores and save 1,600 jobs, however, closing down sales are appearing in stores all across the country.

To find out if a Homebase is closing near you, go on the retailer’s website and use the Store Locator.

If you want to keep updated on all store closures in your area, it helps to join a community Facebook group.

People usually post regular updates about high street changes on there – meaning you’ll be one of the first to know.

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.

The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.

The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.

Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.

It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.

The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.

Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.

“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.

“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”

Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.

The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.

However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.

The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.

GREGGS XMAS MENU 2024

Greggs has added four new items to its Christmas menu this year along with a returning classic.

They will are all available in-store and for delivery.

This includes a brand-new star-shaped ginger biscuit.

It costs just £1.25 and is covered in milk chocolate and decorated with sugar sprinkles.

Or, it can be bought as a four-pack for £3.15.

There is also a Christmas tree-shaped biscuit in the same flavour and for the same price.

Another newbie is the brand-new Christmas bun for £1 or £3.15 in a four-pack.

It is a vanilla bun dipped in fondant icing and topped with sprinkles adorned with a festive sugar paste decoration.

And returning once again is the classic Christmas cake – for £1.30 a slice.

All four menu items can be enjoyed as part of Greggs‘ Sweet Treat Deal – which gets you a sweet treat and a hot drink for £2.85.

But customers were gutted this year to find out the Terry’s Chocolate Orange muffin wasn’t also making a return.

The bakery also put out its first ever Christmas advert featuring much-loved chef Nigella Lawson.

The ad showed Nigella trying various items from the Christmas menu in her kitchen.

Nigella comically narrates over footage which reveals a spread of Christmas Greggs goodies.

Eagle-eyed viewers will spot a fan favourite item making an appearance on the festive spread – the Vegan Festive Bake.

The advert confirms that the savoury treat will be returning after customers were left fuming when it was removed from menus last year.

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