Winchester Homebase at risk as company enters administration

It was announced on Wednesday, November 13, that the brand has been sold to retail group CDS in a rescue deal to secure up to 1,600 jobs and 70 stores but leaving the future of its remaining 2,000 workers and 49 shops unclear – including the branch in Winnall.

The DIY retailer appointed administrators at consultancy Teneo on Wednesday before CDS, which owns The Range homeware outlets, bought the majority of its stores out of administration.

Teneo said the remaining 49 UK stores will continue to trade as normal while administrators try to find a buyer.

READ MORE: Halfords closes store permanently after more than 20 years of business

Several Winchester residents have expressed shock at the news of the closure.

Graham Wooding said: “We use Homebase a bit because it is convenient. The problem is, if it is not making any profit, it will not survive.

Graham Wooding (Image: Chris Atkinson) “We are not frequent members but we do use it – it just means that we have to travel further to find what we need.”

Les Hunter said: “We seem to be losing everything. Are they not just going to build something on (the site)?

“They have lost Curry’s and Halfords, and now we are losing Homebase.

“I’m not a frequent customer, but I do use it about twice a month. I’m probably going in on Saturday to settle the bills!”

Les Hunter (Image: Chris Atkinson) Steve Carter took a less charitable view of the shop. He said: “I have to say that the shop hasn’t been my favourite. If I know what I want, I go online – I only go to the shop if I want help.

"If it goes, I won’t really miss it.”

Steve Carter (Image: Chris Atkinson) Damian McGloughlin, chief executive of Homebase, said the last three years had been “incredibly challenging” for DIY stores, blaming “a decline in consumer confidence and spending” after the pandemic.

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“Against this backdrop, we have taken many and wide-ranging actions to improve trading performance including restructuring the business and seeking fresh investment.

“These efforts have not been successful and today we have made the difficult decision to appoint administrators.”

Staff from Homebase Winchester declined to comment.

The news that Homebase has entered administration comes months after Halfords, based at the Moorside Road Retail Park, closed its doors for good in July. That closure followed the shuttering of Curry’s, also based at Moorside Road, in 2023.