Major stationery chain closing store next month as shoppers say 'this is rubbish!'

Stationery chain Smiggle is set to next month in a major blow to shoppers. The retailer is shutting its branch in Inverness, on May 21.

The store is located in the Eastgate Shopping Centre and is being shut down because the lease has expired. Smiggle has launched a 50% off sale to help clear stock - and staff have said the store could close earlier if everything is snapped up quickly.

One worker told : “We may close earlier if everything is sold out before then. Looking at how many people have been coming, this may happen.”

Shoppers have been responding to the update on social media, calling it "such a shame" that the store is closing. One person said: "There will be nothing left in the Eastgate soon."

Another said: "So sorry for the staff, hope customers will be kind to the staff at this difficult time..." A third posted: "This is rubbish!" A fourth said: "I didn’t realise it was closing down, just thought it was a sale."

Smiggle was founded in in 2003, opened its first store in the UK in 2014, and has now grown this number to 107 branches. The retailer has not commented on the closure.

It comes as toy chain The Entertainer is set to close its Barrow-in-Furness store on May 3. The branch in Barrow had taken over a former Argos unit in the town centre in 2017.

John Edwards, who was a manager at the store for a number of years, said: "It was always important to me it wasn’t just a shop, it had to be an experience and be somewhere kids were excited to go - it’s a huge shame to lose that."

chain Geek Retreat also announced it was shutting its Bristol branch in order to focus on its Newport store. Geek Retreat opened its first store in Glasgow in 2013 and had as many as 57 outlets in its heyday.

Geek Retreat manager Liam said: “After a lot of thought, I’ve made the tough decision to close the Bristol store. When I took on both Bristol and Newport, I genuinely believed I could give both sites the time and attention they deserved – even with 30 miles between them."

Furniture store Room Perfected in Manchester has temporarily closing for a refurbishment, and launched an Easter weekend sale with up to 40% off.

The discounts include coffee tables, dining chairs, rugs, mirrors and accessories, as well as accent furniture, vases and ornaments and marble and quartz side tables. Mike Seddon of Room Perfected said the store is being upgraded following feedback from customers.

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