High street dealt major blow as Argos set to close 100 stores with 7 shutting next month
The main entrance of a Argos store
PA
The high street has been dealt yet another major blow as Argos looks set to close 100 stores.
A total of seven branches will shut next month as the company looks to expand its presence in supermarkets.
Argos, which is owned by Sainsbury’s, put the shutters up at 45 stores in the last 12 months.
However, the retailer managed to open 25 branches in Sainsbury's supermarket stores.
A woman leaves an Argos store in Santry, Dublin
PA
Grimsby’s Alexandria Argos will relocate to Sainsbury’s on August 9 or 10.
Scunthorpe’s Argos will also transfer to a supermarket store just on August 15 or 16.
Argos will also close its store in Hull’s St Stephen’s shopping centre on August 8.
A new branch in Sainsbury's nearby Hessle outlet will open the following day on August 9.
General view of Argos store Burton on Trent, Staffordshire
PA
Other closures have been scheduled for Riverside in Norwich, Bridgend’s Parc Plaza, Cardiff Bay and Cardiff’s Newport Road.
Stores have already shut across Coventry, Nottingham, Lanarkshire and Birkenhead.
A spokesperson for Argos said: "The transformation of our Argos store and distribution network has been progressing at pace for several years now, improving availability, convenience and service for customers.
"As part of this we are continuing to open new Argos stores and collection points in many of our Sainsbury’s supermarkets, enabling customers to purchase thousands of technology, home and toy products from Argos while picking up their groceries."
Sainsbury's supermarket at Colton, on the outskirts of Leeds
PA
Sainsbury’s purchased Argos’ parent Home Retail Group for £1.4billion in April 2016.
The UK’s second most-popular supermarket chain saw off competition from South African conglomerate Steinhoff International.
Sainsbury’s announced its plan to close as many as 420 Argos stores in November 2020.
Justifying its decision, Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts said at the time: “We are talking to colleagues today about where the changes we are announcing in Argos standalone stores and food counters impact their roles.
“We will work really hard to find alternative roles for as many of these colleagues as possible and expect to be able to offer alternative roles for the majority of impacted colleagues.”