Dobbies Garden Centres Limited (“Dobbies”) has today initiated a restructuring plan (RP) to address historically uneconomical rent costs and ensure a return to sustainable profitability. 

The RP, and other strategic initiatives, are expected to return Dobbies to sustainable profitability through site rationalisations, rent reductions and other tangible cost savings – securing its long-term future and allowing access to future investment.

The RP includes the closure of 11 unprofitable sites, and 6 unprofitable little dobbies sites, and impacts 465 colleagues, of which 82 are full-time (out of a total ~3,600 overall). Dobbies will also be working with landlords to seek temporary rent reductions at a further nine sites.

While the process is ongoing, all sites will continue to operate as normal.

There will be no impact to suppliers.

Subject to the RP being successfully approved, we expect the affected sites to cease trading by the end of the year. Thereafter, Dobbies will operate 60 stores and continue to play a key role in the market, working constructively with stakeholders and suppliers, and having an active and committed role in the communities in which it’s based.

The proposed store closures are:

Altrincham

Antrim

Gloucester

Gosforth

Harlestone Heath

Huntingdon

Inverness

King’s Lynn

Pennine

Reading

Stratford-upon-Avon

Cheltenham (little dobbies)

Chiswick (little dobbies)

Clifton (little dobbies)

Richmond (little dobbies)

Stockbridge (little dobbies)

Westbourne Grove (little dobbies)