Retailer B&M to temporarily close 49 stores

A bargain retailer has announced to temporarily close nearly 50 of its stores during the coronavirus outbreak.

B&M Bargains has 656 stores across the UK, including one at the Beehive Centre in Cambridge, and will be closing 49 of them after a review of its finances.

Though the discounter has not specified which stores are to shut, staff in the ones closing will see up to 80% of their wages covered by the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

B&M did confirm, however, that stores closing their doors would include a number of smaller outlets and ones located in shopping centres.

It added 42 of the 49 stores due to shut are close to other larger B&M stores.

The retailer has been allowed to continue trading under Government guidelines as an essential store, but said it took the decision after reviewing its finances for the last quarter.

A statement released by the company said: “We will review the trading patterns on an on-going basis and intend to re-open those stores as soon as normal shopping patterns resume.”

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