The Jarrold Group has announced that its Wymondham store will close on 14 September 2024. The store, situated on Middleton Street, has been a fixture in the town for almost 40 years but, due to the changing face of the high street and customer buying habits, the hard decision has been made to close the store.
Jarrolds took over the former Jacksons building in 1986 and opened its first out-of-Norwich shop, focusing primarily on gifts and interiors. In 2011 cookware was added to the Wymondham range and eight years later, a dedicated carpet and flooring shop was opened next door and subsequently linked to the main store.
John Adams is retail managing director of the Jarrold Group: “We are very proud to have served the town of Wymondham for 38 years, but high streets and shopping habits have changed dramatically in that time,” says Mr Adams. “Whilst the number of dwellings in and around Wymondham has increased, the town centre grows noticeably quieter each year, with the closure of vital services such as banks and the Post Office.”
From October 2022 to February 2024, Jarrolds was home to the Wymondham town centre Post Office. Prior to this it was situated in the One Stop Shop which closed, before a limited Post Office service was housed in the White Hart pub.
“Proactively investing in, and contributing to, our communities is a fundamental part of the way the Jarrold Group does business,” continues John Adams. “We were happy to provide a home for the town centre Post Office and know that customers enjoyed both the convenience of the location and the opportunity to browse our store when they came in. The Post Office’s decision to close the branch earlier this year has clearly made a difference to footfall in our store and the town centre in general.“
Four members of staff work at Jarrolds in Wymondham and Jarrolds is making every effort to find them alternative employment, be that elsewhere in the Jarrold Group or beyond.
“The decision to close the Wymondham shop has not been an easy one, but due to a range of factors, it is the right one to make for our business. Sadly, Wymondham town centre is no longer the right location for a Jarrolds retail store,” John Adams concludes.
