In a statement on Thursday, November 5, Sainsburys announced that 120 of its standalone Argos stores that had not reopened after the UK’s first lockdown in March would now shut permanently.
Bedford’s Harpur Centre will lose its Argos shop in Sainsburys’ plan to close 420 Argos outlets by 2024, reducing the total number of standalone stores to around 100.
In a statement the company said it would be opening up to 150 stores in its supermarkets, plus up to 200 more collection points.
Samantha Laycock, The Harpur Centre Manager, commented: “We understand this will be an unsettling time for those affected and we are supporting them in any way we can.
“We know many local people will miss their town centre Argos store, however, The Harpur Centre’s retail offering remains healthy and diverse,” she continued,
“We all know that consumers are increasingly shopping online, so now is the time to support our local high streets and businesses more than ever by continuing to visit our local shops and independents when safe to do so.”
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