Warwickshire garden centre announces closing date

Dobbies in Stratford-upon-Avon will close on 23 December

A Warwickshire garden centre has confirmed it will close on 23 December as part of a wider restructure.

Dobbies Stratford-upon-Avon announced the news on its website and thanked customers for their support.

It is one of 17 Dobbies outlets due to close before the end of the year as part of plan to safeguard the company's long term future.

A closing-down sale is under way at the Warwick Road site, which also houses a restaurant and a soft play area for children.

The closures affect a total of 465 jobs in the firm's garden centres and high street stores.

Sixty locations will remain open, with the closest to Stratford-upon-Avon about 20 miles (32.1km) away in Rugby.

Other sites affected include Gloucester, Altrincham, Gosforth, Huntingdon, King's Lynn and Pennine garden centres.

Little Dobbies shops in Cheltenham, Bristol, Chiswick, Richmond, Stockbridge and Westbourne Grove will also close.

The company previously said in a statement the restructure would "return Dobbies to sustainable profitability through site rationalisations, rent reductions, and other tangible cost savings."