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IKEA UK reveals it is planning to close down its Tottenham store located in the north of London this year. The Swedish furniture company announced its plan on Wednesday, March 30.
IKEA UK said that this move is part of its slow adaption to the changing shopping behaviors of the customers. The store closure may happen later this year, and around 450 workers are expected to be affected by the decision. In this regard, the retailer said that it would do its best to protect jobs.
According to Reuters, IKEA UK explained that while the shutting of the Tottenham store is inevitable, it is committed to retaining as many staff as possible. The company emphasized that it will generate more than 600 job posts across the region before the affected store is closed.
The company has already started a period of consultation for the affected workers, and this is a sign that it is fulfilling its commitment to protecting its workers. At any rate, IKEA UK said that it made the decision to shut its Tottenham location after an extensive and meticulous evaluation of its presence in London in keeping with the changing behaviors of shoppers that were triggered by the pandemic.
"The proposal to close the Tottenham store follows an extensive assessment of IKEA UK's presence in London in line with changing shopping behaviors," the company said in a statement. "This, combined with the redevelopment of the area where the store is located, prompted IKEA to assess the long-term viability of the site."
Meanwhile, The Guardian noted that the news of IKEA's closure in Tottenham came just weeks after it launched a new high street store in Hammersmith in west London. It also opened a new warehouse in Dartford, Kent that will provide home delivery service within 24 hours after order placement.
Moreover, IKEA is also said to be getting ready to debut its store in Topshop's old flagship location on Oxford Circus in central London. This will be opened in the autumn of 2023 as part of its £1 billion investment in the region over the next three years.
