LIDL will close its Bournemouth town centre store in a few weeks time, it has been confirmed.
The low-cost food retailer’s branch in the Richmond Gardens Shopping Centre will have its last day of trading in October, it is understood.
The store’s closure comes months after neighbouring store Wilko shut its doors for good in February after struggling to come to “more agreeable” lease terms with the landlord of the shopping centre complex.
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It is understood Lidl staff were informed of the closure on Sunday, August 21, during a meeting in which it was said that Lidl do not intend to renew the lease for the store – which expires on October 27.
Each member of staff was reportedly given a letter with the choice of redundancy or transferring to a different store. In said letter, it is understood the company blamed the decline of post-pandemic town centre footfall as well as the Wilko closure as primary reasons for the decision.
One ex-employee, who left the store recently and asked to remain anonymous, worked at the Lidl for more than a decade and told the Echo there was “a lot of sadness” among staff.
He said: “I think all the staff knew it was coming. Quite a few have already handed their notices in or asked to transfer to a new store.
“I worked there for a long time and am still friends with many colleagues. It’s a shame the store is closing but, again, we knew it was coming because the pre-pandemic footfall levels are nothing compared to what they used to be.
“A lot of lunchtime business from office workers hasn’t come back as a lot now work from home, and obviously Wilko closing was another blow. Wilko and Lidl together were the main attractions for the centre.
“There is a lot of sadness from people who have been working together for years. It was a store that had much lower staff turnover numbers compared to other Lidl stores. It just had a family feel to it because we all worked together for so long.”
A Lidl spokesperson confirmed the store would be closing “at the end of our lease this year” but that Bournemouth town centre remained on its desired site requirements list.
They also confirmed staff would be given the opportunity to relocate to other stores.
Nearby Lidl stores remain open at Poole Road in Branksome, Christchurch Road in Boscombe, Holdenhurst Road, and Wimborne Road in Winton.
Lidl was unable to confirm the reason or the date of closure.
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