Popular UK arts and crafts chain Hobbycraft has confirmed that six more branches will close from next month, following the closure of three branches in early August.
The six new locations affected are Wigan, Chichester, Stafford, Maidenhead, Crayford and Kings Lynn, while the official closure date has not been announced. Some branches are currently running clearance sales with discounts of up to 20 percent to clear out stock.
The move follows the closure of nine other branches in mid-July, involving up to 126 employees, as part of a restructuring plan by new owners Modella Capital. Hobbycraft CEO Alex Wilson described the decision as “extremely difficult” but necessary to ensure operations at other locations continue to survive.
The closures reflect the huge pressure currently hitting the UK retail sector, with discount brand Poundland also announcing the closure of up to 49 branches this month, with the total expected to reach almost 70 by mid-October.
Data from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that more than 13,000 UK premises went out of business last year, a 28% increase on the previous year, and the figure for 2025 is expected to be the highest since records began in 2015.
Analysts explained that the main factors behind this wave of closures were a combination of operating cost pressures, changing consumer habits, and global economic uncertainty, including geopolitical tensions and international trade policies affecting supply chains and import prices.
The situation is expected to continue until the end of the year, with warnings that “the worst may yet be yet to come” for the UK retail sector.
