International fashion brand H&M is to close its only Isle of Wight store at the beginning of February.
The shop, located on South Street in Newport, will close its doors for the last time on 4th February.
As a result of the closure, customers looking to purchase goods will have to do so on the H&M website.
In what is a very sudden closure, it is unknown as to the exact reason for the decision and to what will happen to the staff as a result.
This closure is just the latest in a long list of UK based H&M stores that have faced the chop.
UPDATE – In a statement, H&M has said:
“During the last few years, we have seen a rapid change in customer behaviour that we cannot ignore.
“We continuously need to evaluate and develop our business to meet our customers’ needs and offer the best possible shopping experience, whether it’s online or in our physical stores.
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“Our ambition is to continue investing in our customers, open new stores where we see opportunities and develop our digital channels. We continuously evaluate how we should invest in stores and sometimes decisions must be made to enable long-term growth.
“This means that we sometimes need to close stores. This decision has been made for our Isle of Wight store.”
No comment has been made on how many jobs will be lost.
Sports Direct going in there 100%
I like to support local branches but here website wins for me. Red Squirrel is a nice route but then Newport centre is a bit too unsafe for me to ride a bicycle. And buses get stuck in traffic so often! This town is mostly a bus station for me, I don’t go there for leisure or shopping, too polluted and noisy for my liking.
Not sure what’s up with the minuses. For a petite woman like me it’s certainly not a place for chill and casual shopping ride for relaxation. You may be way more fearless and confident rider and huzzah for you but recent accidents literally in very town centre show it’s not a very safe place. Compare it to by no means superb but still better Cowes High St and they win hands down: there you can go chill, listen to music on your headphones without worries, enjoy the walk. It’s much more relaxed than Newport.
Get used to it. Many businesses will go to the wall, and many jobs will be lost. The recession has yet to begin.
Only large corporate businesses or online businesses will flourish.
As unemployment rises at least the breeding lazy scum who breed instead of getting a job, will then have an excuse not to work as jobs will be hard to obtain within a year or two.
What recession?
Bob, whilst the downturn has yet to effect builders incomes, wait another three years and then see the builders ad’s back on Wightbay saying ‘No job too small’ once more.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64303338
Have a look at that report Bob
That is a shame, I like shopping in there. I feel sorry for the staff.
Staff have been offered transfers to the mainland stores but that won’t work for them by the time they pay for the ferry
As unemployment creeps higher, crime, anti social behaviour and all the costs of keeping the unemployed, the breeding benefit masses and funding for the mentally disturbed will fall on those working via higher council tax, income tax, NI costs and stealth taxes.
Only those claiming tax credits by having children and getting their rent and c.tax, heating, school meals, school transportation, extra help with heating, school uniforms, extra if having a squiffy one, will be the winners, thus encouraging more to choose this way out of the ensuing poverty heading to the UK and especially the Island.
Best get security alarms fitted to car, house and personal attack types as life is going to be ever more grim starting in a year or so.
Wow we are ever the optimistic arnt we, and such a lovely person attacking the disabled. Let’s hope you never experience a hard time aye.
And a Happy New year to you too.
Put gabion cages around your vehicles and your house, quick and easy to install and don’t cost much.
All about money this from the web: Rising costs, including wages and business rates, have also made physical store locations less appealing. H&M operates in 75 countries and employs 155,000 staff around the world. The closures are part of a wider strategy to cut costs across the group.
Cheap fast fashion, won’t be missed.
Put an Armani store in there instead, or Kenzo or something
ye or gucci hope i can find s suit for £50 only the best for me..
God, let’s all slit our throats now and have done with it! This lot on here are so positive!
I like H&M personally. It’ll end up being charity shops, betting shops and flippin sports shops left. Great, what a load of rubbish! Nothing on this island worth going out shopping for. It’s ridiculous.
Who would miss a store selling cheap tat made in sweat shops ? Good riddance to it