SHOPPERS have been left gutted after a Scottish Argos store suddenly closed its doors for the final time with no notice.
The retailer abruptly closed its branch in Greenock yesterday evening after 30 years in business.
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Staff at the store in Oak Mall Shopping Centre pulled down the shutters for the final time at 5.30pm.
Bosses have revealed that the shock closure was the result of works being carried out at the shopping centre.
A section of the centre is set to be demolished, which included an area where the branch was located.
The works come as part of wider plans to regenerate the town centre.
According to the Telegraph, the ten members of staff were given the bombshell news about the closure “out of the blue” last month.
The firm, which is now owned by Sainsbury’s, revealed that workers will be offered redeployment to other stores.
It came totally out of the blue. The staff don’t know what is happening with their jobs. It is very sad
Insider
But an insider told the paper that they have been left in the dark about the future of their jobs.
They said: “Staff were told last month that it was closing, with no plans to move elsewhere in Inverclyde. It came totally out of the blue.
“The staff don’t know what is happening with their jobs. It is very sad because Argos has been here for a very long time. “
An Argos spokesperson previously said: “Our Argos Greenock store will close later this year, as the shopping centre it is located in is being redeveloped.
“We understand this will be an unsettling time for those affected by this news and we are supporting them in any way we can.
“This includes exploring opportunities for our colleagues to redeploy to alternative roles in our business.”
It is understood that there are currently no plans in place for the Argos store to relocate anywhere else in Inverclyde.
Shoppers have been left shocked by the sudden closure, with many adding that they feel like there will be “nothing left” in the busy shopping centre.
They have taken to social media to share their disappointment after the store closed yesterday.
Posting on Facebook, one person said: “If the Oak Mall keeps on the way it is there will be nothing left, may as well shut the whole place down hardly a decent shop anyway”.
Another added: “The Oak Mall is a complete shambles. Nothing in it to draw people in anymore… There’s nothing in this town anymore and sad you actually have to leave Greenock in order to get what you need. Poor effort!!!”
Someone else wrote: “Sad, sad news.”
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And a fourth shared: “Greenock is going to be a ghost town soon”.
While a fifth chimed in: “They could just close that end of the mall now there’s nothing left, so sad”.
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.
