Shoppers in Devizes were left surprised and disappointed last week when a well-loved high street chain suddenly shut its doors.
The Superdrug store in the town’s Market Place, a go-to for health, beauty, and pharmacy essentials, closed on Friday, July 18, due to what the retailer described as “unforeseen circumstances”. A notice was placed on the door to inform customers of the closure, though it gave no details about the reason or any indication of when the shop would reopen.
The lack of information left many locals concerned, with Superdrug being one of the key retailers in the Market Place area and a regular stop for both day-to-day necessities and specialist pharmacy services. For a town like Devizes, where the high street plays a vital role in community life, the sudden closure felt like a significant blow.
It wasn’t until the following day that the company provided an update, confirming that the sudden closure was due to building works taking place inside the store.
In a statement at the time, a spokesperson reassured customers that the shutdown was only temporary: “The store is currently closed due to internal building works taking place. We will be opening again soon. Please keep checking back for updates. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.”
Superdrug also encouraged shoppers to keep an eye on its updates to find out when the store would be trading again, highlighting its commitment to keeping customers informed despite the disruption.
The closure comes at a difficult time for the Devizes high street. Earlier this year, residents voiced fears that their town centre could be “deserted” following a spate of shop closures.
Gift shops Emporium and Expressions and the charity shop Scope are among the recent departures, with local business owners citing falling footfall as a major challenge. A key route into the town centre via Northgate Street has been partially shut since a fire last year, leading to what one trader described as a “massive impact” on customer numbers.
Thankfully for Devizes residents, the wait for Superdrug’s return was short-lived. On Thursday, July 24, the retailer announced that the store would be reopening its doors to customers from 9am.
A spokesperson confirmed: “The store will be reopening at 9am today. You will notice that some items have moved locations whilst building work is taking place. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
While the closure caused a temporary setback for the busy Market Place, Superdrug’s swift return has been welcomed by shoppers. Its reopening brings a sense of normality back to the town centre, where locals continue to hope that more support for businesses will help secure the high street’s future.