Stationery House and Utility open new stores as Blue Diamond plans north-east outlet
There’s good news on the indie retailer front with two new greeting card and gift stores opening in Altrincham and Somerset.
While Wilko going into administration today, 10 August, and Clintons announcing mega shop closures adds some gloom, there is still plenty of sunshine on the retail front.
Blue Diamond has revealed plans for a garden centre creating 150 jobs as part of the landowner’s £13million investment and in the indie sector Stationery House owner Malcolm Adams has taken his retail estate to three with a new shop in Wrington, added to his original outlet in Somerton and the Clevedon store opened in 2021.
Meanwhile further north, lifestyle and greeting card retailer Utility is set to cut the ribbons on its fourth design-led store at the end of this month as it has taken over the former Paperchase unit in Altrincham, the Trafford market town in Greater Manchester.
Utility director Richard Skelton revealed the company is also seeking other sites along the M62 corridor and added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us – Altrincham has a thriving town centre, famous for its buzzing market and an exemplary model of urban regeneration.”
He confirmed the new store will be fitted out in keeping with the brand identity it has in its existing Manchester store as well as in its soon to be relocated new Liverpool One store in Manesty’s Lane.
“It will showcase the best of premium contemporary gifts as well as our unique greeting card range for which we’re so well known,” added Richard, proud of its reputation which saw Utility win The Retas 2022 award for Best Non-Specialist Retailer Of Greeting Cards North and reach the finals this year too.
James Tootle, of property company Bruntwood, said: “Utility will be a fantastic addition to our Stamford Quarter community and it’s wonderful to see the brand expanding with its second store in Greater Manchester here in Altrincham.
“As we continue to see shoppers enjoying everything the town’s high street has to offer, it’s great to be adding exciting, independent brands like this. We’re looking forward to welcoming the Utility team next month.”
At the other end of the retail scale, Blue Diamond – a finalist in The Retas Best Garden Centre Retailer Of Greeting Cards Multiple in 2023 and 2022, and winner in 2021 and 2019 – is the second largest UK garden centre group, employing 3,500 people across its hq and 42 sites, and Northumberland Estates has picked the business to operate its planned site, representing a £13m investment which will create 150 new full and part-time jobs in the 8,130sq m of internal space and 3,400sq m external plant sales area near the A1 at Alnwick, with greetings, gifts, leisure and homeware among the products.
Colin Barnes, director of planning and development for Northumberland Estates, said: “Our ambition is to have the best garden centre in the north east based here in Alnwick and we are delighted that Blue Diamond has selected the town as the location. We look forward to working with them to deliver the development which will bring a range of benefits to the town.”
Northumberland Estates and Blue Diamond have developed a website for a consultation which runs through to 17 August to obtain residents’ opinions on the planned proposals as part of the pre-planning submission to Northumberland County Council.
Elsewhere, big greetings retailers have been struggling, with Clintons set to close 38 of its 179 stores in a bid to prevent insolvency following a failed attempt to merge with now-defunct Paperchase at the end of last year.
And today Wilko formally collapsed into administration, appointing PwC to lead the process as 12,000 jobs are put at risk across the value retailer’s 400 stores where PG Buzz understands IG Design Group supplies the significant greeting offer.
The chain made a £35.9m loss in its last financial year which was more than its operating profit from the previous four years, but said it had “a significant level of interest, including indicative offers”, however it was unable to complete the deal within the necessary timeframe, and ceo Mark Jackson said: “Given the cash position, we’ve been left with no choice but to take this unfortunate action.”
