Arts and crafts retailer Hobbycraft has revealed plans to shut nine additional shops throughout the UK as the company undergoes significant restructuring.
The closures will occur during August and September, affecting the chain which operates 115 stores nationwide.
Three branches have already ceased trading earlier this month. The Bromborough store closed on August 4, followed by Stratford-upon-Avon on August 6 and Southport on August 7.
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A further six locations will shut their doors in September.
The specific closure dates for these branches are yet to be announced by the company.
Hobbycraft stores closing in September 2025
- Chichester
- Crayford
- Kings Lynn
- Maidenhead
- Stafford
- Wigan
Hobbycraft stores already closed
- Bagshot
- Basildon
- Borehamwood
- Bristol Imperial
- Bromborough
- Canterbury
- Cirencester
- Dunstable
- Epping Forest
- Lakeside
- Southport
- Stratford Upon Avon
Hobbycraft is set to close multiple stores | GETTY Customers have reported significant reductions at affected branches, with discounts reaching 20 per cent as stores attempt to shift their remaining inventory.
Reports from shoppers on social media indicate the Wigan and Stafford locations have already begun their clearance sales.
Chief executive Alex Wilson acknowledged the challenging circumstances facing the company. "Very sadly, the strength of our offering has not made us immune from the challenges faced by the retail sector in recent years," he stated.
Wilson emphasised that shutting stores represented a final option. "Closing stores is always a last resort and this has been an extremely difficult decision," he said, adding that "making these changes is sadly a necessary action to enable us to keep our doors open to crafters up and down the country."
Customers have reported significant reductions at affected branches, with discounts reaching 20 per cent
| PAThe latest closures follow an earlier wave of shop shutdowns that occurred in mid-July, when nine Hobbycraft stores ceased operations. These closures formed part of a wider restructuring initiative that could affect between 72 and 126 positions across the business.
The July closures included branches in Bagshot, Surrey; Basildon, Essex; Borehamwood, Hertfordshire; Bristol; Canterbury, Kent; Cirencester, Gloucestershire; Dunstable, Bedfordshire; Epping Forest, Essex and the Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex.
Private equity firm Modella Capital, which acquired Hobbycraft in August last year, initiated the restructuring programme in April.
The overhaul also encompasses job losses at the company's Bournemouth headquarters and its Burton-on-Trent distribution facility.
Britain's high streets have been hit by a wave of store and restaurant chain closures | PAThe restructuring aims to secure the future of at least 99 stores and preserve 1,800 jobs throughout the business. Modella Capital has expressed its dedication to physical retail despite sector pressures.
A company spokesperson stated: "Modella Capital is absolutely committed to bricks and mortar retail, at a time when the sector is coming under increasing pressure."
They added that the firm "understands that high streets provide a vital service to consumers, are an essential source of employment and are key to the future success of local economies."
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