The One Below discount store at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook shopping centre will close down this Sunday (14th January 2024), according to notices displayed in the shop’s windows.
Situated in the retail terrace, between the former Argos unit and the Pets at Home store, One Below opened at the centre in September 2019. Prior to this the One Below unit had been occupied by Poundworld (from 2012 to 2018).
Notices appeared in the One Below this week announcing a ‘store closing down sale’ and stating that the last day of trading will be Sunday 14th January 2024.
An “everything must go” clearance sale is currently in progress with “up to 50 percent off”.
The Willow Brook Centre has extant planning permission to extend the retail terrace by increasing the width of the unit at its north-eastern end currently occupied by Poundstretcher. The stated purpose of the proposed extension is to accommodate a “discount food store operator” – rumoured to be Lidl.
One Below and the Willow Brook Centre have been approached for comment.
Still trading
UPDATE added 17th January 2024.
Contrary to notices previously displayed, the One Below was still trading on Tuesday (16th January 2024), albeit with much reduced stock levels.
In a possibly related development, noises could be heard coming from the adjoining former Argos unit, and ‘construction site’ notices were displayed on the door of that unit.
Some readers commenting on the Journal’s Facebook page report that they were told by One Below staff that the two existing units (One Below and Argos) are to be combined into one larger unit to accommodate a new tenant – rumoured to be B&M.
B&M is coming!
UPDATE added 30th January 2024.
The Willow Brook Centre has confirmed that a B&M Stores outlet is coming to Bradley Stoke.
A post on the centre’s Facebook page on 29th January 2024 stated:
“We are delighted to be able to confirm that B&M are coming to Willow Brook!”
“The old Argos and One Below units are currently being prepared for our newest tenant, who we are THRILLED to be welcoming to WB and Bradley Stoke.”
Discussion about this article on the Bradley Stoke Journal’s Facebook page: https://bit.ly/4200UBf