Another big name to leave Kettering town centre

Catalogue retailers Argos are to close their Kettering town centre store.

The firm, which was bought by Sainsbury's for £1.4bn in 2016, has decided to shut the branch in Newland Street.

An Argos spokesman was unable to confirm when the store will cease trading.

The spokesman said: "Our Newland Street store will be closing.

"All of our colleagues have been offered the opportunity to redeploy to nearby stores.”

Argos, which was founded in 1972 by Richard Tompkins, also has a store at the retail park in Carina Road in the town.

The Newland Street store closure is the latest blow to the town centre, which has suffered a series of big name losses in recent years.

In 2018 shoppers were devastated when Marks & Spencer closed their High Street store.

Other major retailers to leave town included Topshop in 2018 and then New Look last year.

The Kettering Town Centre Partnership was created in a bid to move the town forward, working with Kettering Council.

But in September it was announced Kettering's town centre would be awarded windfall of up to £2m to revitalise its high street.