A HIGH street chain with over 450 stores is closing one of its shops for good within hours.
Animal store Pets at Home is pulling the plug on its shop in Forster Square, Bradford today (August 31).
Pets at Home is pulling down the hatches on one store todayGetty
The retailer, which sells animals and pet supplies, is shutting the doors as this branch has come to the end of its lease.
Earlier this week, a post on the store’s Facebook page said: “It’s with a heavy heart that we have to bid farewell to an amazing town and a community that welcomed us with open arms from day one.
“We have made some truly special friends, both four and two legged and we’re so sad to be having to say goodbye.
“It has truly been an honour to help and support your pets, whether finding that perfect food for tricky tums or getting that coat to fit just right.
“I can assure you that this decision was not an easy one and not taken lightly, but due to a number of factors we have to say goodbye to Bradford Forster Square.”
Pets at Home has over 450 shops across the country and it recently revealed plans to open a further 40 in the next five years.
A list of locations is yet to be finalised, but Pets at Home told The Sun that the majority will be within the M25 and in urban areas.
It opened two new branches and renovated nine of its stores in the first half of this year, including shops in Spalding and Leeds.
On the closures, a spokesperson for Pets at Home said: “As we near the end of lease agreements we routinely review the future potential of each of our stores, taking into consideration size of premises, services on offer and other Pets at Home pet care centres in the local area.
“As a result, we have recently taken the decision to close Bradford Forster Square, which will stop trading on August 31.
“Whilst these are always difficult decisions, our first priority is our colleagues and we’re delighted they will all be taking up new positions in our other local pet care centres.”
Sadly another store closure won’t come as a surprise to Sun readers.
Other brands have had to pull the plug on branches all across the UK.
Boots announced plans to shut 300 of its stores around the country.
For example, its Uppingham road branch, in Leicester, will close on Saturday October 14, with its final trading day being October 13.
The closure is part of wider plans that will see the retailer’s total shops reduced from 2,200 to 1,900.
Wilko fell into administration in August putting thousands of jobs at risk.
And today (August 31) the brand confirmed the first job cuts as a rescue bid for the entire chain has collapsed.
Administrators at PwC have announced that hundreds of workers will be made redundant after an attempt to save to whole business failed.
The decision has been made to axe a total of 269 support centre team member roles.
A further 14 jobs at Kin Limited, a subsidiary of Wilko, will also be made redundant.
These redundancies will come into effect from the end of the day on Monday, September 4.
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