Not sure if right or not but the new owners are planning to close some stores 126 job losses.
Must admit not been to HC for years but know a lot of people still use them.
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Oh dear, no good news at all! I had to check the stores after I saw your post, I do visit the one in Farnborough, and though it is not set to close (yet?) I feel really sorry for the people who will lose their jobs…
I hope the one in Hull is staying open, it’s 13 miles away but the only craft shop anywhere around here and I use it quite a lot. No doubt it will close because there are actually no decent shops at all in Hull and usually the first to go.
Just had a look we have escaped it for now. Hope this means they will be able to keep trading.
Sadly it’s a lot more people unemployed.
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Always use the Havant one as quicker to get to the way hubby drives! Feel they have lost their way a bit as so many airfix kits.
No way! I was not aware of this. I visit the Bristol Imperial Retail Park store (less than 5 minutes drive away from me) 2-3 times a month for magazines/essentials etc. That’s such a shame and somewhat baffling because whenever I’ve been in there, there always seems to be a healthy amount of customers. And there’s usually a bit of a queue for the tills. Wow, our (physical store) crafting community seems to be getting smaller… Just hope those who find themselves out of a job are able to secure another opportunity quickly.
I don’t think if it’s gonna go close and i’ve not even heard of it yet…
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Mina, @theslothscavern have you been to the Rowans Craft charity shop in Cowplain. Very good and can often find bargains. I sent them about 6 boxes a couple of years ago to resell.
Oh bloom’n heck. The Glasgow one remains open so I’d better high tail it up there before it’s added to the list. I do buy from them.
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No, I haven’t been that way at all, I asked Gary yesterday where Havant is because I never heard of it 
We struggled with all shorts of shops when we moved from Reading to here and we have settled with Guilford and Farnborough at the moment, depending on the kid’s needs for school. Haven’t been towards that way at all, but it looks like it might worth a visit!
Havant only takes about 30 minutes after the rush hour, quite a few other shops in the retail park, including M & S, large Tesco etc.
If you want a retail mall, the best is West Quay in Southampton. Not as scary as it sounds right next to Ikea, all with their own multilevel story parking and lovely shops.
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We had the first Hobbycraft store open five minutes up the road from us - it was great in the early years, but seems to have lost its way in recent years (after wiping out all the local indie arts and crafts shops…)
I visited yesterday as I needed a certain colour of paint. There is never anything new in there - it’s all mass produced kids craft kits, lots of plastic storage, cake decorating stuff, jigsaw puzzles etc.
The only things that interest me now are the yarn section, and the paints (not as good a range as it used to be).
When it opened we could get encaustic wax supplies, weaving items, there were dolls house kits and a good selection of miniatures, and so much more!
That is what I found, since been taken over no where near as good.
My local one could be classed as Bristol but think it’s more South Gloucestershire, is staying open but the one in Bristol is closing. I’d miss it. Don’t buy lots but it’s handy nevertheless.
I’ve just returned from the Bristol Imperial Park store having picked up what I suspect will be my last few bits. There’s 20% off all items in store. I managed to speak to some of the staff and it seems (for the Bristol store) that one of the issues was the rent - typical of high streets up and down our country I guess?
I must admit, whilst I do frequent the Bristol store, I’m minded to agree with the comments made around them losing their way. In fact, when I thought about it, I’ve generally shopped from the same 4 or 5 aisles over the past year as the rest of the store is (as has been pointed out), full of jigsaws, model kits and what seems to be an overabundance of children’s toys.