Edinburgh Woollen Mill Puts Pressure On Landlords in Lease Negotiations

Published on: 17 Dec, 2018
Updated on: 21 Dec, 2018

By Hugh Coakley

A sign appearing this week in the window of the Guildford branch of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill started social media speculation that it was about to close.

The sign reads: “Closing Down Sale – All Stock – subject to landlord negotiations”.

Edinburgh Woollen Mill closing sale ‘subject to landlord negotiations’.

The lease on the Guildford shop at The Old Cloth Hall, North Street is, it is understood, due to run out early next year and that negotiations with the landlords are ongoing.

It is believed that a similar notice has been put up in the chain’s Winchester branch and it seems likely that it is a tactic to put pressure on landlords.

But Guildford’s Edinburgh Woollen Mill is likely to have been feeling the pressure of decreasing sales along with other shops in Guildford and news that the Post Office is to move from the top of North Street to WH Smith in the High Street is expected to further decrease shopper’s footfall in the immediate area.

There was a reported 9% footfall reduction in national High Streets over the weekend compared to this time last year. The reduction is blamed on the poor weather and online shopping.

There have been calls by retailers for a reduction in business rates and rents to provide some relief in a difficult business climate.