B&M store in Kingsway, Newport, to close

Budget retailer B&M Bargains, in Kingsway Shopping Centre, this week announced a 50 per cent off sale as they clear out stock before closing for good.

This morning it was re-stocked for the last time, and shelves were cleared by lunchtime without any goods in sight, with shoppers were queuing from the tills to the end of an aisle to buy their last bargains.

Maggie Russell, manager of the store, is saddened by the closure but is relieved that all jobs are saved.

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Maggie Russell, manager at B&M Kingsway, stands near an emptied shelf. Picture: Newsquest

She said: “All the staff are relocating to local stores, which is great, but it is sad as I have been in this store on and off for 50 years as I used to work for Woolworths.

“This store is just like Woolworths; it sells the same sort of products and it's really busy, so hopefully it will help people with Christmas.

“Its sad to see as it is such a tight knit store, we are all friends and we are going to a big store now. We don’t know why it's closing, we were just told we need to be out by the 28th.

“We have had queues from the front to the back of the store. It’s a big blow to the centre as there are not many shops open around the town at the moment.”

Shelves are completely empty without a toy or essential goods in sight. Video: Newsquest

Meanwhile Savers, situated next door to B&M, are worried about how the closure of the popular store may effect their future.

Mollie Gerner, assistant manager at Savers, said: “It is tough for the people who don’t drive and get the bus into town.

"It is going to effect a lot of businesses around, especially up to Christmas as people may not want to go into town anymore.

“We don’t know how that is going to affect us and the other stores in the centre, so it is a bit of a worry as we are unsure if it could drive our sales up or it will decrease our sales.

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Shoppers scramble to buy one last bargain, queues were lined down every aisle. Picture: Newsquest 

“Hopefully we can keep the customers, especially with the cost of living.”

Bob Herring, at the Newport County shop next door, said: “Plenty of shops are shut, the biggest loss to us was when the post office shut, and B&M attracted a lot of footfall through the area.

“It may affect us, but we rely on Newport County supporters to come here and buy kits but it’s a shame it's closing.”

The closure has been met with great sadness by the community, as many elderly people relied on the retailer to find low costs goods.

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Shelves were stripped bare as shoppers nab final bargains. Picture: Newsquest

Jackie Higgins, from Bettws, said: “We use it every Friday when we bring mum into town. They do little tins of things which they don’t do in Iceland, which is the other supermarket in town.

“It was such a shock; we went in there a fortnight ago and they said they had a staff meeting to announce it was closing.

“When you think what Newport was like when I was growing up, it is sad for the city as we haven’t got anything.”

Jacqueline Mitchell added: “I think it’s wrong because it makes it easier for people who are shopping in Newport, and you can get some good bargains in B&M.

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Jacqueline Mitchell and Chris Viger were saddened by the news of the closure. Picture: Newsquest

“Whenever we come into town we always go in there, older people are picking up good bargains.

"The elderly like us are always looking for bargains, you have to in this day and age with the cost-of-living crisis.”

The last day of trading is Friday, October 21. Shoppers can find there nearest stores listed below.

B&M branches in Gwent:

• Abergavenny: High Street;
• Blackwood: Cliff Road, Blackwood Retail Park, High Street;
• Caerphilly: Bedwas Road;
• Chepstow: Beaufort Park, Thornwell;
• Cwmbran: Tudor Road;
• Ebbw Vale: Brunswick Construction Site, Rhyd-y-Blew;
• Newport: East Retail Park (furniture store);
• Newport: Maesglas Retail Park, Docks Way.