God. Another one bites the dust.
I literally walked past the New Look in Bexleyheath yesterday and have NEVER seen it so packed. People were practically wrestling over £3 tops like it was Black Friday on steroids. The poor staff looked completely shell-shocked – and who can blame them? In less than 24 hours, they'll be locking those doors for the very last time.
The Final Countdown: Hours Left to Grab Those Last Bargains
The Broadway Shopping Centre branch has been in absolute chaos this week. Rails picked clean, discount signs everywhere, and a weird mix of desperation and excitement in the air. One woman next to me was clutching five summer dresses (£5 each!) like someone might snatch them from her arms. I almost bought a jumper I didn't even like just because it was so cheap. What is it about closing down sales that turns us all slightly feral?
The shutters come down permanently at 5:30pm tomorrow, ending what's been a pretty brutal clearance sale with discounts up to 70% off.
What the hell happened to New Look?
Remember back in 2018 when New Look had something like 600 stores across teh UK? Now they're down to around 350 and still shrinking. My cousin worked at their Gateshead branch until it closed in March, and she said they all saw it coming. "The writing's been on the wall for ages," she texted me last night. "Footfall's been dropping for years."
They've already shut stores in St Austell, Preston, Porth, Loughborough, Wickford and Bracknell this year alone. And they completely pulled out of Ireland last year – all 26 stores gone, with 347 people losing their jobs. Brutal.
The human cost nobody talks about
I spotted this comment online that hit me right in the feels: "Sad for all the staff losing their jobs (my daughter included)."
That's the thing we forget when we're elbow-deep in bargain bins. Real people with bills to pay are watching their livelihoods disappear. I chatted with one of the staff yesterday (didn't catch her name) who'd been there for 7 years. She looked... tired. Just really tired.
"Any plans for what's next?" I asked awkwardly.
"Probably Primark if they're hiring," she shrugged.
The £3 million question
It's not all doom and gloom for the company, supposedly. They're pumping over £3M into their Greater Manchester stores to test some fancy new shopping experience that connects online and in-store stuff. Whatever that means.
A New Look spokesperson gave the standard corporate line: "Our Bexleyheath store is set to close on 19 April. We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years. We hope customers continue to shop with us online at newlook.com, where our full product ranges can be found."
Translation: Sorry not sorry, but please keep giving us your money online.
The retail apocalypse continues...
I spent 4 years working in retail during uni. Worst. Job. Ever. But I still feel for these employees.
New Look blames "rising costs" and "tough trading conditions" – adn they specifically mentioned the increase in National Insurance contributions for employers that came in last autumn. The reality is they've been scaling back for years as more of us shop online.
The company has warned that nearly 100 more stores are at risk as leases end. So if your local New Look has survived so far... well, don't get too attached.
Last call for bargain hunters
If you're reading this and you're anywhere near Bexleyheath – you've got until 5:30pm today to join the clearance feeding frenzy.
Just be nice to the staff, okay? Their day is going to be rough enough.
Another one down. How many more to go?
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Did you miss our previous article...
https://hellofaread.com/money/aldis-12-garden-lifesaver-makes-electric-patio-work-a-breeze-and-saves-you-30
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