Major retailers to close extra shops as metropolis left with no toy retailers after Christmas

A UK city is set to lose two key stores – and be left with no toy shop after Christmas. Bosses at Smyths and Homebase have confirmed that branches of the high street retailer will close soon. Both retailers will leave the city in January, when their leases at the Churchill Way West Retail Park come to an end.

The decision was ruled as “difficult” by the owners of Homesense, TJX International, but they confirmed that some staff could be offered roles at a nearby TK Maxx branch in the Cross Keys Shopping Centre “if possible”.

They said: “Occasionally, we must make the difficult decision to close a store when its lease ends or cannot be renewed. In such cases, where possible, we offer roles to all associates in nearby Homesense or TK Maxx stores.”

But the closure of Smyths could hit the city hardest, as it appears there will be no major toy store in the city. While there are independent retailers, such as Cool Merch and My Comic Heroes, no high street chain will be in the city, with the nearest appearing to be over an hours drive away in Poole.

A spokesman for Smyths Toys told the Salisbury Journal: “It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of our Smyths Toys Superstores location in Salisbury, effective January 2025. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff and loyal customers who have supported us over the years.

“We understand the impact this may have on the community and will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition for our employees. As we approach the closure date, we invite our customers to visit us this Christmas to enjoy our range of toys and games.

However, not all hope is lost as Lidl GB confirmed that it was taking one of the two soon-to-be-vacant units to open its second store in the city.

James Mitchell, regional head of property at Lidl GB, said: “The demand for our high-quality, best-value products continues to grow, and we’re eager to make shopping even more convenient for customers, with our new store ideally located to serve residents in the north and west of Salisbury.”

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