Galashiels B&M store set to close

The closure of B&M Bargains’ Stirling Street store in December was confirmed this week, but the company said it was unable to say how many jobs will go until after a consultation with staff.

A spokesperson for B&M said: “We can confirm that unfortunately our store in Galashiels will be closing its doors in December.

“We’re about to go through consultation, so we are unable to discuss jobs.”

Both the chain’s Borders branches, in Galashiels and Hawick, opened within a week of each other in September 2010 after moving into the two towns’ former Somerfield supermarket premises.

There are currently no plans to close B&M’s Croft Road outlet in Hawick, it said this week.

The Galashiels B&M will be the town’s second bargain store to shut this year following the closure of Poundstretcher in High Street in January.

The B&M brand has almost 500 high street and out of town stores throughout Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and also operates abroad under the JAWoll brand in Germany.

Last year the popular bargain stores attracted more than 3 million shoppers each week with their discounted branded and non-grocery products and employed over 22,000 staff.