New Look to shut 100 stores – impact across SE London?
Trouble on the High Street continues with New Look seeking to close up to 100 branches across the UK.
They have yet to confirm what stores will shut. In south east London they operate in Woolwich, Lewisham, Bexleyheath, Bromley, Charlton and Rotherhithe, as well as Dartford in Kent.
The Woolwich branch is one of the biggest stores in the town. It was formerly a Littlewoods and Index store. It faces the former Marks and Spencer.
The rear of the building hangs over the rail lines making redevelopment tricky. If it didn’t, it’s easy to envisage a new build on the site.
I guess with a new landlord, they won’t choose to renew the lease on the building and will leave Woolwich. I guess that why Starbucks are also going.
http://www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2018/02/10/56-woolwich-town-centre-shops-purchased-by-one-of-uks-largest-developers/
The Bromley store is quite big too, and there are two multi-level stores on Oxford Street, so the group could concentrate on these and close the small units.
The New Look store in Lewisham closed today. The notice says that the nearest store is now Bromley. Makes sense since the branch is much bigger with more foot fall.