Dobbies is closing another store at the end of this month – after scrapping 16 branches last year.
The gardening chain will shut its Hare Hatch store in Berkshire on January 31, leaving shoppers “disappointed” by the update. The store is currently holding a closing down sale with 50% off products, and Dobbies has confirmed the branch will be transferring to new owners this month.
The Hare Hatch store had previously been on a list of branches which Dobbies was hoping to renegotiate its rent agreement to cut costs. Following the news, one shopper wrote on Facebook: “So disappointing watching so many garden centres and DIY shops close down. Following on the footsteps of Homebase is another, Dobbies at Hare Hatch.”
A spokesperson from Dobbies said: “Dobbie’s Garden Centres confirms that its Hare Hatch store is transferring to new ownership during January and is pleased to confirm that the in-store team will also transfer to the new operators. This follows approval of Dobbies’ restructuring plan in December 2024, which allows the business to focus on returning to sustainable profitability, unlock access to future investment and deliver a strong and well-capitalised platform for the business going forward. “
It comes after Dobbies shut 16 sites in 2024 – including in Inverness, Reading and Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as six smaller Little Dobbies – after a huge drop in sales. These closures originally included its flagship in Antrim, but Dobbies later confirmed this would no longer close after it reached a new agreement with the landlord.
Dobbies previously said the closures would affect 465 employees. The retailer employed roughly 3,600 people and had 77 stores across the UK before these closures. Dobbies was bought by investment firm Ares Management in 2024 and fell to a £105.2million pre-tax loss in the year to March 2023, against a £7million loss a year earlier, according to its most-recently filed company accounts.
In a statement that was published in October, after announcing its intention to close stores, a spokesperson from Dobbies said: “Dobbies will operate 60 stores and continue to play a key role in the market, working constructively with stakeholders and suppliers, and having an active and committed role in the communities in which it’s based.”
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