An iconic British corner shop chain is closing all of its store after nearly four decades of business in another blow to the high street.
Premier Foreways has confirmed it is ceasing operations at multiple locations after falling into liquidation.
The franchise, which is a sub-chain of the wider Premier brand has five stores in Carlisle, Cumbria, which will all close in the near future.
With the announcement, the company confirmed that Armstrong Watson has been appointed as liquidator.
Premier Foreways stores are closing down
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GETTY / GOOGLE
Premier Foreways stores have operated under the Premier brand but have been independently owned for almost 40 years.
The sub-chain was owned by Billy Bone, who received praise from customers and former employees for managing the stores successfully.
On Facebook, one ex-employee shared: “Good employers like this are few and far between, and I know many of the staff who have worked for them over the years will wholeheartedly agree. They will be sorely missed in the community.”
Regarding the fate of current employees, a local resident posted: : “They’ve been there so long. Hope the staff find something else.”
High streets have been hit by a wave of closures since the pandemic | PA
Premier has over 5,000 stores across the UK | GETTY
Here is a full list of the Premier Foreways stores closing down for good:
Premier Foreways, 69 Wigton Road, CA2 7AYPremier Foreways, 16 Bedford Road, CA2 5QEPremier Foreways, 309 Blackwell Road, CA2 4RSPremier Foreways, 123 Newlaithes Avenue, CA2 6PPPremier Foreways, 264 Warwick Road, CA1 2BX
Corner shops and convenience stores are staples of local communities
| Google maps
On the recent trend of widespread store closures, Parker Walsh’s insolvency specialist Molly Monks said: “The transformation of retail was already underway but the cost of living crisis has dramatically accelerated the closure of stores that might otherwise have survived another few years.
“Discretionary spending has collapsed in many categories and footfall on high streets outside major city centres remains stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels.
“Meanwhile, business rates continue to penalise physical retail in a way that online competitors simply do not face, an imbalance that the government has failed to correct.
“Wage bill increases flowing from the new National Living Rate and higher employer National Insurance have been the final blow for many. The sad reality is this pipeline of closures is far from over.”