Major charity retailer to close three stores starting from tomorrow after shutting 35 this year – see the full list
RETAIL BLOW Major charity retailer to close three stores starting from tomorrow after shutting 35 this year – see the full list
A MAJOR charity shop chain is set to close three more of its stores starting from tomorrow.
Disability charity Scope has confirmed its stores in Taunton, Bromley and Portsmouth are all closing this month.
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Scope has had to shut down dozens of stores due to spiralling costs and lower footfall
Credit: Alamy
The charity previously announced it was considering shutting 77 of its 138 shops across the country.
Its bosses said it had to make the difficult decision because of spiralling costs and fewer shoppers heading to the high street.
The Taunton store is first to close and will be shutting its doors for good tomorrow.
Shoppers responded to the news on Facebook, with one saying: "Oh, no - I've got lots of great bits from there."
Another wrote: "Oh no really? That a, really good charity shop aswell."
The store in Bromley closes on June 14 while the Portsmouth one is going on June 21.
It means shoppers only have days left to grab final bargains from the stores.
Debbie Boylen, head of retail at Scope, said: "Our shops have helped us raise vital income to support our work with disabled people and their families.
"We know our teams put in their very best efforts, but our shops are collectively now losing money when taking account of all of their costs.
"A number make strong profits but there are loss making shops too."
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She said the charity had consulted on the proposals to shut 77 shops and had come to the "sad" decision about the Taunton, Bromley and Portsmouth stores.
Boylen added: "We've had such incredible support from these wonderful and generous communities. We never take the decision to close our stores lightly.
"We recognise for our colleagues and volunteers, it's more than just a job.
"We know they feel passionately about playing their part in our work, creating an equal future with disabled people.
"We will be doing everything we can to support them and our decision does not reflect their hard work and dedication to Scope."
The news comes after Scope already shut 35 of its shops this year.
It closed 11 stores between the end of March and the end of May.
Full list of Scope closures in 2025
Closed before the end of the consultation in early March: Bexhill
Hertford
Mitcham
Petersfield
Scarborough
Worthing
Closed by March 31: Amersham
Barking
Bangor
Birkenhead
Bishop Auckland
Castleford
Devizes
Dewsbury
Eastbourne
Haywards Heath
Lewisham
New Milton
Orpington
Parkstone
Scunthorpe
Shirley (Southampton)
Skipton
Workington
Closed by May 31: Blyth
Hove George
Burton
Erdington
West Hampstead
Exmouth
Bury
Newport
Southampton (Portswood Road)
Atherstone
Welling
What's happening at Scope?
The charity is among scores of big chains facing trouble on the high street.
Chief executive Mark Hodgkinson said previously that its high street stores had been hit by shoppers increasingly turning to online shopping.
On top of that, it has faced rising rents, soaring energy costs, increased staff costs, and lower customer spends.
In its annual report for the year to March 2023, Scope said it had made £24million from trading activities, including shops and online sales, up from £23.6million the year before.
In the same year it had spent £24.7million maintaining and operating its shops, £1million more than the previous year.
Hodgkinson said Scope's shops had made a "real contribution to raising vital income" but external factors had "made trading harder".
Scope wants to make sure its funds are not taken away from its charitable purpose, the boss said.
The store closures have led to a number of job losses and also impacted volunteers.
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