A BRANCH of a high street retail chain is to close in just days – as it launches a 70% off sale.
Shoppers will be saying farewell to the singular branch on Tuesday, April 8.
Newlife’s store in Quedam Shopping Centre, Yeovil is shutting its doors.
Until the official closing day, selected lines will have up to 70 per cent off while stocks last.
A spokesperson for Newlife Stores said: “We’re sorry to announce that Newlife Stores Yeovil will be closing its doors on April 8.
“A massive thank you to all our amazing customers for your incredible support over the years.
“Your support has helped us provide vital services and resources for children in need.
“As we prepare to close, we kindly ask for your continued support and kindness towards our staff – they’ve been amazing every step of the way.”
Writing online, customers have shared their disappointment over the branch’s closure.
One penned: “People need this shop. I need this shop. Why are you closing this store now?”
Another added: “Sad times. It’s been a great addition to our high street. The staff have all been incredible.”
While a third chimed in: “So sad to hear this. It’s my fave shop in town.”
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The children’s charity Newlife was founded more than three decades ago.
It aims to ensure terminally ill and disabled children get the best possible start in life.
To do so, they provide essential specialist equipment including beds, wheelchairs and buggies.
Other high streets have also faced the blow of much-loved shops closing.
[boxout headline=”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.”The beloved budget supermarket will be scrapping 52 cafes and 17 stores in a cost-cutting shake-up.
Earlier this year, it was revealed Cool Britannia, the legendary UK souvenir shop, is shuttering its flagship store on Oxford Street – much to the dismay of customers.
The retail store has long served British-themed merchandise including Union Jack flags, London landmark mementoes and novelty items.
It was long-revered as a hotspot for tourists and recognisable as a quintessentially British store to locals, with multiple sites across the country.
The sad news was revealed online by a gutted shopper who posted a picture of the shop on Facebook with closing down sale posters on the windows.