Spalding department store: "Store Closing!" signs go up

Spalding has one of 23 stores in the troubled Beales chain of department stores listed for closure on the company website.

Windows at the town store are plastered with "Store Closing!" and "Everything Must Go!" signs, and these are repeated inside on both floors.

Yesterday (January 21), Will Wright and Steve Absolom from KPMG Restructuring were appointed joint administrators to Beale Limited and J E Beale Plc ("Beales").

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A KPMG spokesman said: "It remains the case that all of the stores will continue to remain open while the administrators continue to explore the possibility of a sale of the business.

"However, if a sale of the business ultimately proves unsuccessful, all of the stores will close.

"We cannot comment at this moment in time around potential timings, but we will of course keep you posted over the coming days and weeks with regards to any updates."

Beales founded in Bourmouth in the 1800s and employs more than 1,000 people.

Earlier this week, Will Wright, partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said: “For over a hundred years, Beales has been a stalwart of the high street in market towns up and down the UK, but like countless similar retailers, has found trading in recent times to be incredibly tough.”

Last week, Marks and Spencer announced that it was proposing to close down its M&S Foodhall in Spalding.

The store's 33 staff have been consulted on the proposal.

A change of shopping habits has been blamed by the store for the proposed closure.

Closing down signs are also plastered over the windows of the town's Bonmarche store in Bridge Street as another firm has gone into administration.