A huge DIY retailer is closing an additional eight stores, with some shutting their doors for good. Homebase offered clearance sales of up to 90% off at all affected locations as part of its closing down events.
The DIY chain entered administration in November but was partially rescued by billionaire Chris Dawson, owner of CDS Superstores, the parent company of The Range and Wilko. Dawson’s intervention aimed to preserve “up to” 70 stores, safeguard 1,600 jobs, and retain the Homebase brand. However, this left 74 branches and approximately 2,000 employees facing an uncertain future.
Just a week later, Teneo, the administrators for Homebase, placed the 74 stores up for sale. To date, however, CDS has only confirmed the rescue of 26 stores, leaving the exact number of saved locations unclear.
Meanwhile, a handful of other retailers have stepped in to purchase some of the stores that were not included in the chain’s rescue deal. Among them is B&Q, which has agreed to buy eight of the chain’s branches that were put up for sale.
Additionally, on Friday, Wickes announced that it had acquired five more stores, including a former Homebase location that had closed prior to the chain entering administration. However, three Homebase stores closed their doors for the final time over the weekend.
The following stores were closed:
Farnham, Guildford Road
Truro, Treliske Industrial Estate, Oak Lane
Basingstoke, Winchester Road
Bracknell, Wokingham Road
Letterkenny, Neil T Blaney Road
Bury St Edmunds, Moreton Hall Estate
Dunfermline, Halbeath Retail Park
Leeds, Moor Allerton Centre
The stores in Farnham, Truro and Bracknell will be shut for good. Meanwhile, the other stores will reopen under new ownership.
CDS Superstores, the parent company of The Range, had initially stated plans to acquire up to 70 Homebase stores.
Along with purchasing store locations, it has also taken ownership of the Homebase brand and revamped its website, now offering a wide selection of products online.
However, as of January, The Range confirmed it had officially taken over just 12 former Homebase stores. These included locations in Bournemouth, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newton Abbot, Felixstowe, Blyth, Leicester, Stroud, Blandford, Penge, Woking, and Leighton Buzzard.
Several ex-Homebase stores have already reopened under The Range banner, including sites in Ashbourne, East Dereham, and Staines on February 14.
Additional locations in Bicester, Huntingdon, and Reigate followed suit later that month, while stores in Eastbourne, Oxford, and Morecambe recently welcomed back shoppers.
