Arts and crafts retail chain Hobbycraft fuels Brits’ passions and hobbies up and down the land, but soon some UK hobbyists might have to source crafty goods elsewhere. Following a round of closures earlier this year, Hobbycraft has announced that the brand is shutting more branches.
Founded in 1995, Hobbycraft currently has over 100 stores in the UK and is Britain’s largest arts and crafts retailer. The upcoming closures are part of an effort to restructure the company, and Hobbycraft is understood to be in rent revision discussions with landlords at other locations.
Worried you might be losing your local supply shop for knitting, baking, art and more? Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming Hobbycraft closures.
RECOMMENDED: Full list of UK high street closures confirmed in 2025.
Which Hobbycraft stores are closing and when?
The stores will all close in either August or September – here are the ones slated to shut.
- Bromborough – August 4
- Stratford-upon-Avon – August 6
- Southport – August 7
- Stafford – September
- Wigan – early September
- Maidenhead – September
- King’s Lynn – September
- Chichester – September
- Crayford – September
Earlier this year, the following nine Hobbycraft stores closed.
- Bagshot, Surrey
- Basildon, Essex
- Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
- Bristol, Imperial Retail Park
- Canterbury, Kent
- Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- Dunstable, Bedfordshire
- Epping Forest, Essex
- Lakeside Shopping Centre, Essex
Are more stores at risk of closure?
Hobbycraft has not confirmed whether more shops are at risk of closing.
Why are these stores closing?
The stores are closing as part of a restructure intended to secure the futures of other Hobbycraft branches.
Hobbycraft chief executive officer Alex Wilson said: ‘Very sadly, the strength of our offering has not made us immune from the challenges faced by the retail sector in recent years.
‘Closing stores is always a last resort and this has been an extremely difficult decision.
‘Making these changes is sadly a necessary action to enable us to keep our doors open to crafters up and down the country.’
Who owns Hobbycraft?
The chain has been owned by private equity firm Modella Capital since August 2024. Modella is also currently in the process of buying WH Smith’s high-street outlets and changing the shops’ name to ‘TGJones’. Find all the upcoming WH Smith closures here.
Modella Capital also owns The Original Factory Shop.
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