Triple blow for Corby town centre as major stores announce closures
Two big-name stores in Corby are set to close their doors and the future of a third is in the balance.
The large two-storey New Look store in Willow Place has confirmed to the Northants Telegraph that it will close for good on June 1.
And a source has also confirmed to our reporter that River Island is closing at the end of April, although the company has not responded to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, WH Smith announced that the entire chain has been sold in a £76m deal. The future of individual stores remains uncertain, but all will initially be re-branded to TGJones.
All three stores, which sit next door to one another, have been in Willow Place for more than 15 years. River Island opened on November 27, 2007 as one of the first shops in the new centre.
Despite the demise of the high streets in many other towns, Corby’s retail offer has remained robust in recent years, with only a handful of empty units in the privately-owned centre. B&M and TJ Hughes both opened large stores in the past two years.
A New Look spokeswoman told this newspaper: “Our Corby store is set to close on June 1. 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.”
Spokesmen for Willow Place and River Island have been contacted for comment.