Ikea will shut down its Coventry city centre branch this summer in its first-ever closure of a large UK store, it announced today.
The store had consistently lost money since its 2007 opening and attracted fewer visitors than expected, the retailer said. The company blamed the size of the store – which has seven levels – for inflated operating costs and a poor shopping experience.
“In addition, the changing behaviour of customers in the area who prefer to shop in retail parks and online has resulted in visitor numbers being substantially lower than expected and continuing to decrease over time,” it said.
It will consult with the store’s 352 employees and try to find them jobs in other branches. The store was one of 22 Ikea branches in the UK.
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