SMYTHS Toys in Salisbury will close in January – as reported by your Gazette.
The store, on the Churchill Way West Retail Park, will make way for a new Lidl store on the site.
Neighbouring HomeSense will also ‘vacate the site’, according to a planning application for the new Lidl, who have confirmed plans for the supermarket.
A Smyths statement on social media said: “It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of our Smyths Toys Superstores location in Salisbury, effective January 2025.
“This decision was not made lightly, and we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff and loyal customers who have supported us over the years.
“We understand the impact this may have on the community and will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition for our employees.
“As we approach the closure date, we invite our customers to visit us this Christmas to enjoy our range of toys and games.
READ MORE: Lidl confirms plans for second supermarket in Salisbury
READ MORE: Smyths Toys and HomeSense to be replaced by Lidl on Salisbury retail park
“Thank you for being a part of the Smyths Toys family in Salisbury. We appreciate your understanding during this difficult time.”
It comes after a planning application was submitted to Wiltshire Council for changes to units 1 and 2 of the retail park to accommodate the Lidl.
Urban Edge Architecture, on behalf of Schroders Real Estate Investment Management, said reconfiguring the units, together with works to associated car parking areas and service yard to the rear, are necessary to bring the budget store to the site.
Lidl then confirmed the plan, which would be the chain’s second store in Salisbury, with one already in Hatches Lane.
One Lidl store is enough. Way to go Schroders IM. A classic example of an institustional property investor that has zero regard for the local community. Really hope we can fight this and stop the dumming down of Salsibury retail
Then don’t we need a toy store ! We have nothing now can u reconsider ?? This is so wrong! Please !don’t do it and look after the young family of Salis
i agree 👍
What an incomprehensively dumb idea. You want another Lidl store when one already exists and think, hmm, yeah! Why don’t we close down the only extremely popular and profitable toy superstore in Salisbury and give the staff (who celebrate) Christmas the gift of redundancy. Why not follow Amesbury’s example and make it a string of barbershops!
Absolutely ridiculous idea to put another Lidl in Salisbury. I for one hate buying online, I like to see what I’m buying. Not only are you taking away the only toy store in Salisbury but it’s also the last place in Salisbury you can buy baby essentials such as cots, travels systems, strollers and car seats, garden play equipment and educational toys. Not to mention that Waitrose car park is a bloody nightmare at Christmas so imagine just how much worse it will be with a Lidl there. Total joke!!
Not good for people who can’t drive
Can you not go up to Southampton Road to the Unit Matalan vacated
I’m pretty devastated by this news as we make it a family trip from Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster every school holidays to take my niece and mum that row of shops. My niece adores Smyths, I love going to Home Sense and my mother goes to Waitrose as all next to each other. I doubt I’ll find much need for us to come to Salisbury now if 2 of our favourite shops are going.
Huge mistake if this plan goes through. There’s already a Lidll on the Southampton Rd. and another one not more that 15mins drive up the road in Amesbury. Do we really need 3 Lidls so close together? Rhetorical question – the answer is no! Smyth’s and Homesense provide some much needed variety in Salisbury’s retail landscape and will be sorely missed if they go. I can also foresee problems with parking and tailbacks on this site which are bad enough at peak times with one supermarket, let alone two.
How narrow minded . You are complaining about a second Lidl which is going to be in the centre of Salisbury when the present one (which is staying) is down the horrible Southampton Road and back, for people living west of the city Where are your complaints about Tesco having three shops in Salisbury . Well done Lidl for coming into town. Bring it on and quickly.
Ludicrous decision. And so the unnecessary Lidl empire grows at the expense of closing the only large, and popular to boot, toy store for miles around.
Close two great stores in exchange for one we already have. Time to explore Southampton