Dobbies will close one of its two Northern Ireland stores by the end of this month after the owners of the site terminated the tenancy to redevelop it. The superstore at The Junction, a 400,000 sq ft shopping, food and leisure park in the county of Antrim, will close its doors for the final time in mid-October, according to a notice on the branch's website.
Closure follows redevelopment decision
A Dobbies spokesperson said it would shutter by the end of the month, but an exact date hasn't been announced. The spokesperson said it follows the decision by Frasers Group, which owns the site, "to redevelop the site for new retail and leisure uses".
"Since opening in 2023, Dobbies has worked closely with The Junction to establish a garden centre in a unique destination better known for outlet retail," they added. "The store has built a loyal customer base, and we are proud of what has been achieved. We are grateful for the support of The Junction, Lotus Property and Frasers Group throughout our time at the outlet and wish them every success with the redevelopment."
Support for staff and customers
"We would also like to thank our customers and the local community for their support over the past three years," the spokesperson said. "We recognise this will be difficult news for our Antrim colleagues. Our immediate priority is supporting everyone affected by this change, and we will explore redeployment opportunities and individual support options for colleagues."
They said the decision relates to the Antrim site and doesn't reflect Dobbies' wider business performance. "Over the past year, we have invested around £6 million across our store estate, and we continue to invest in our centres as part of our growth strategy, which is delivering positive results," the spokesperson added.
Investment in Lisburn continues
"Northern Ireland remains important to Dobbies, and we are committed to serving customers in the region. We will be investing significantly in our Lisburn garden centre over the coming months, with improvements planned for the restaurant, store facilities, product range and overall customer experience."
Alastair Coulson, managing director of former The Junction owners Lotus, which is now the asset manager for the site, said: "Over the past three years, Dobbies has been a hugely valued presence at The Junction, and we are grateful for everything they have brought to the scheme and to the Antrim community."
