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Major update on future of Homebase stores as two retail giants takeover eight UK sites
Find out more about Homebase entering administration in the video in this article
A MAJOR update has been issued on the future of Homebase stores as two retail giants have taken over eight shops across the UK.
DIY retailer B&Q said this afternoon it would acquire five stores, following hot on the heels of another retail giant confirming three sites it will take on.
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The plan, which is subject to approval from landlords, is to transform the stores into B&Q sites.
Bosses at B&Q's parent company Kingfisher said they expect this to be completed in the first quarter of this year.
The stores are in Altrincham, Basingstoke, Biggleswade, Leamington Spa and Worcester.
Works to transform the stores will begin the coming Spring and are expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
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Last month the business bought three stores in the Republic of Ireland with plans to convert them into B&Q sites too.
It comes just hours after the new owners of dozens of Homebase stores announced a major update with three more sites set to live on.
CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and Wilko, has confirmed the next wave of openings for its new format shops which will keep the brand name going.
Homebase crashed into administration in November with CDS acquiring up to 70 of its stores.
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Three former Homebase branches in Newton Abbot, Felixstowe and Blyth will reopen as The Range stores on January 24.
It comes after the opening date for three other sites in Glasgow, Bournemouth and Birmingham have already been confirmed as January 17.
CDS Superstores said it plans to roll out up to 10 new superstores each month, up to a total of 70 branches, securing 1,600 jobs.
Homebase is set to close ten of its stores, which will soon be taken over by a major supermarket chain
It also said it is prioritising retaining and transferring team members who previously worked for Homebase.
Alex Simpkin, group chief executive officer, said: "We’re fully committed to retaining the best of Homebase’s heritage while introducing the broader product range and value that customers expect from us as The Range.
“While those Homebase stores acquired by CDS will continue to trade as they are during the transition period, we’re focused on ensuring a seamless transfer of these locations into our new store format, with six launches now confirmed for January 2025 already."
The new format The Range stores will feature products usually found in its stores but some will also contain "Garden Centres by Homebase".
Others will feature "Kitchens by Homebase" spaces.
Homebase crashed into administration last November with Chris Dawson, owner of The Range, rescuing 70 stores through a pre-pack administration deal.
Mr Dawson also bought Homebase's 40-year-old brand and its website as part of the deal.
However, the offer from The Range meant 74 Homebase branches, employing 2,000 staff, were left at risk of permanent closure unless a buyer stepped in.
A deadline was set of November 29 for potential buyers to acquire the 74 sites but it's still unclear whether any of them have been saved.
Homebase previously confirmed six sites would closed before the end of 2024, including Sutton Coldfield, Bromsgrove, Cromer, Fareham, Newark and Rugby.
Two others in Wales have launched closing down sales.
Three more Homebase sites in Derry, Inverurie, and Omagh are also set to close in the coming months, along with a branch in Glenrothes near Fife.
What is happening to the Homebase stores not at risk?
The CDS buyout saved approximately 1,600 jobs and up to 70 sites.
Alex Simpkin, chief executive of CDS Superstores, owner of The Range, said at the time: "We've stepped in following the sad demise of the much-loved Homebase brand, which has had a long and previously successful history of helping UK households with their DIY projects and gardening needs, for over 45-years."
He confirmed that the Homebase brand will continue to trade online, and the acquired stores will continue to trade as Homebase over the coming months.
Full list of Homebase stores up for sale and at risk of closure
HERE'S the full list of Homebase sites that have been put on the market:
England:
- Abingdon, Oxfordshire
- Alnwick, Northumberland
- Altrincham Retail Park, Manchester
- Barnstaple, Devon
- Basildon, Essex
- Basingstoke, Hampshire
- Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland
- Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
- Battery Retail Park, Birmingham
- Bishop Auckland, County Durham
- Bracknell, Berkshire
- Enterprise Five Retail Park, Bradford
- Branksome, Poole
- Broadstairs, Kent
- Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk
- The Orbital Retail Centre, Cannock, Staffordshire
- Horsted Retail Park, Chatham, Kent
- Cheltenham
- Greyhound Retail Park, Chester
- Discovery Park, Chichester
- Colchester Stanway, Colchester
- Gallagher Retail Park, Coventry
- Daventry, Northamptonshire
- Wyvern Retail Park, Derby
- Farnham Retail Park, Farnham
- Folkestone, Kent
- Retail World, Gateshead
- Gloucester
- Hanworth, Feltham, London
- Harlow, Essex
- Eddington Business Park, Herne Bay, Kent
- Tyne Valley Retail Park, Hexham
- Heath Retail Park, Honiton
- Hove, Brighton & Hove
- Hull
- Leamington Spa
- Ledbury, Herefordshire
- Moor Allerton Centre, Leeds
- Lewes, East Sussex
- London Catford
- London Streatham Vale
- Luton
- South Aylesford Retail Park, Maidstone
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire
- Norwich Hall Road
- Norwich Sprowston
- Madford Retail Park, Nottingham
- Oldbury, West Midlands
- Wyndham Retail Park, Portishead
- Romford, Essex
- Saffron Walden, Essex
- Sleaford, Lincolnshire
- St Albans
- Sudbury, Suffolk
- Wrekin Retail Park, Telford
- Truro, Cornwall
- Tunbridge Wells
- Upton, Wirral
- Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire
- Wolverhampton
- Worcester
Scotland:
- Dumfries
- Halbeath Retail Park, Dunfermline
- Hamilton
- Oban
Wales:
- Bridgend Retail Park, Bridgend
Northern Ireland:
- Junction One Retail Park, Antrim
- Shane Park, Belfast
- Rushmore Retail Park, Craigavon
- Drumkeen Complex, Belfast
Republic of Ireland:
- Letterkenny
- Navan Retail Park
- Waterford
Once they are transferred to CDS they will "quickly" re-open as The Range superstores.
We've asked Homebase for the full list of stores purchased by CDS Superstores and will update readers once this has been announced.
CDS Superstores also previously acquired the Wilko name and intellectual property after it collapsed into administration last year.
Homebase's collapse comes after Hilco Capital, which owns the retailer, had put the company up for sale in July.
Last August, supermarket giant Sainsbury's agreed to buy 10 Homebase stores.
Once all stores are closed, Sainsbury's will convert the units into new supermarkets.
The acquisition of the stores and refit programme to follow is expected to cost Sainsbury's £130million.
RETAIL SECTOR STRUGGLES
The retail sector has struggled in recent years as high inflation coupled with a squeeze on shoppers' finances has seen people with less money to spend in shops.
An increasing trend towards online shopping has seen retailers struggle for footfall through stores as well.
A number of major chains have fallen into administration in recent years.
Wilko, Ted Baker and The Body Shop have all plunged into administration but some stores have been saved in rescue deals.
Pressure on the sector is not expected to abate any time soon either.
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The Government announced in its Budget employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) will be hiked in April from 13.8% to 15%.
Fears have been raised the hike will be passed onto shoppers in the form of higher prices and job cuts.
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