The Works has confirmed that it will be closing one of its high street stores within weeks in another blow to the high street. The discount retailer will be pulling down the shutters on its Margate branch in June.
According to reports from Kent Online, the branch – which is situated on Margate’s High Street – will close Sunday, June 8. The Works branch in question employs six staff members, and it has not been confirmed what will happen to these workers when the site closes.
The Works currently has over 500 stores across the UK and sells a range of books, art, craft materials and stationery. A spokesperson for The Works said: “As part of ongoing plans to optimise our store portfolio, we will be closing our Margate store.
“We have loved being part of the local community and apologise for any inconvenience caused by this closure. Customers can continue to shop with us at our nearby stores at Westwood Cross Shopping Centre and Ramsgate Garden Centre.”
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News of the closure prompted messages of support online, with many left disappointed by the news. One local resident commented: “No I love the works.” Another said: “Be nothing left in the town soon.”
A third told Kent online that they “loved” the branch saying: “Oh no! I love going in there, all the girls are so wonderful.” Another shoppers said they were “fed up” with all the recent shop closures in the area adding: “we want our high street back.”
It is important to note that retailers close stores for a variety of reasons, and it doesn’t just mean they are in trouble. More commonly, stores close because the tenancy has come to an end on the site or because the branch is not as profitable as others.
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In January, The Works announced that it aimed to open 60 new stores over the next five years. The retailer revealed its strategy in its results for the first half of the 2025 financial year, during which it opened three new stores, relocated two stores, and closed eight predominantly loss-making stores.
The Works said it is expecting five more net store closures in the second half of the year but is building a new store pipeline that will hopefully “see a return to growth”. Five new stores are targeted for the 2026 financial year.
Gavin Peck, chief executive officer of The Works, said: “Looking ahead, we are mindful of the need to navigate fragile consumer confidence and significant cost headwinds but believe there is much to be optimistic about at The Works. We expect that our action to grow revenue, increase margins and reduce costs will deliver improved results in the remainder of this financial year and in FY26. We have laid the foundations for our new strategy, which will transform the business and deliver a significant improvement in performance and shareholder returns in the years to come.”
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