Stores, cafes, said goodbye
FROM CITY CENTRE EATERIES, FEELING IMPACT
MANY new shops and eateries opened in Leicestershire in 2021, despite the pandemic and its restrictions.
However, a number of places sadly closed their doors for good.
Shops, cafes and restaurants in the city and county were all among the places to shut permanently - with Highcross being particularly hard-hit by closures.
Here, we remember the businesses that left Leicestershire streets in 2021:
Grounded Kitchen, King Street, Leicester - closed January
This eatery, known for its Koreaninspired nourish bowls, confirmed in January it had permanently closed its King Street branch.
A spokesperson said: “There are very few offices open under the current restrictions, which has greatly impacted footfall within the city centre.
“We have no indication as to when this may return to normal which has shifted our focus away from central locations to community based locations. We have decided to service all our King Street customers from our Queens Road store and will be relocating the King Street site to Loughborough.”
Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Market Harborough and Ponden Home, Melton Mowbray - closed January
It was announced in January these two stores were to close permanently after the sale of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Ponden Home business.
The national chain was bought out of administration by Purepay Retail, after collapsing last year, but the two Leicestershire outlets were not among 246 branches which were saved.
Outfit, Fosse Park and Thurmaston Shopping Centre - closed January
A spokesperson for the Arcadia Group, which owned Outfit, confirmed in January that the Outfit shops at Fosse Park and Thurmaston Shopping Centre were both closing for good.
The closures came after Arcadia Group went into administration at the end of 2020, leaving a number of bigname stores across Leicestershire, including Topshop and Dorothy Perkins, facing an uncertain future.
Arcadia stores in Leicester, Beaumont Leys and Loughborough closed March
A number of big-name fashion stores in the city and county permanently closed following the demise of the Arcadia Group. A spokesperson for the group confirmed all Arcadia brand stores had closed for good following various sales to other retailers during administration.
The stores that permanently closed included Topshop, in the Highcross shopping centre, and Dorothy Perkins/ Burton in Gallowtree Gate, in the city centre. Burton and Dorothy Perkins at Beaumont Shopping Centre also closed for good, along with the Evans and Wallis stores that were located inside Tesco at Beaumont Shopping Centre. Loughborough’s Topshop store, which was in Carillion Court, also closed permanently.
New Look, Humberstone Gate, Leicester - closed March
One of the city’s New Look stores closed for good in March. The Humberstone Gate store had its signage removed and posters were put in the windows, saying: “This store is now closed.”
H&M, Haymarket Shopping Centre, Leicester - closed March
It was a similar situation at the Haymarket branch of H&M, where a large message in the window read: “This store has now closed, but you can find our nearest store at Leicester Highcross.”
H&M revealed in October last year it was set to close 250 of its 5,000 stores across the world, although it did not specify which shops would be affected.
Thorntons, Highcross, Leicester closed March
Thorntons announced plans to close all of its retail stores in March.
The company, which had a branch in Leicester’s Highcross as well as others across Leicestershire, issued a statement on its website, saying it had taken the “difficult decision” to go into full consultation to start the permanent closure of its retail store estate.
Office and Swarovski, Highcross, Leicester - closed April
Highcross confirmed both footwear retailer Office and jewellery and accessory brand Swarovski had closed in April, after the shops had been emptied and signs removed.
We contacted both companies, but neither commented on the closures.
Office, Fosse Park - closed May
The Fosse Park branch of Office shoes closed for good in May.
It followed the recent closure of the Highcross branch of the footwear retailer, and meant that there are now no Office stores in Leicestershire.
A notice in the window of the Fosse Park store said: “This store has now closed. Please email help@ office.co.uk for any further queries.”
Charnwood Entertainments, Highcross, Leicester - closed June
Leicestershire business Charnwood Entertainments said at the start of June its Highcross store had permanently closed.
The store, on the upper level of the shopping centre, was opened in December 2020, and gave customers the chance to purchase items such as food and drink gifts, including locally-produced beers and spirits, as well as artwork, homeware, branded clothing and branded merchandise such as Frozen and Harry Potter items. It also included a sweet shop area.
The shop was launched by events company Charnwood Entertainments - which usually runs music festivals, alcohol festivals, Hallowe’en scare mazes, Christmas parties and charity events.
The Disney Store, Highcross, Leicester - closed June
The store in Highcross permanently closed at the end of June.
The pop-up shop launched on the lower level of the shopping centre in 2017, following the closure earlier that year of the permanent Disney branch in Highcross, which had been a fixture in the city for 20 years.
Usually pop-ups open for the Christmas period and remain open for just three months. However, such was the success of the Highcross pop-up, it remained open for more than three years.
B&M, St George’s Retail Park, Leicester - closed September
B&M announced in September that it was closing its store at St George’s Retail Park for good.
A message on the website said “Unfortunately your B&M Leicester - St Georges Way store will close on Saturday 18th September 2021.”
Since then, a new B&M has opened in the former Poundland store near the King Power Stadium.
Namaste, Hinckley Road, Leicester - closed October
This well-known Indian restaurant closed its doors after 27 years.
Namaste was first opened in April 1994 by Mr Dey, who made the decision to retire to “focus on his health”.
In a heartfelt message to customers, the Dey family announced at the start of October that the business would close.
The message shared on the restaurant’s website and Facebook page read: “As a family, we’re truly so grateful for your custom, support, and love over the many years.
Dama Rose, Granby Street, Leicester - closed November
This Arabic coffee house and delicatessen announced on Facebook that it had permanently closed in November.
The eatery opened in 2020, and served a variety of food including breakfasts, smoothie bowls, mezze platters and manakish (flatbreads).
“Namaste was much more than a restaurant to Mr Dey, where he very much saw his customers as family too.”
Pizza Hut, Grove Farm Triangle, Enderby - closed November
This pizza restaurant closed for good at the end of November, with a company spokesperson saying: “We are saddened by the closure of our Grove Farm Triangle restaurant, however this was beyond our control.”