Bargain UK sports chain with 46 locations closes flagship store for good in ‘dramatic loss’ for town

A MAJOR sports retailer is closing its flagship branch in an historic town centre in another blow to Britain’s retail scene. The closure of the discount store has left shoppers “gutted” and has been described by business leaders as a “dramatic” loss. The flagship branch in Cheltenham was the French brand’s first store in the south west of England Credit: GOOGLE The store in Cheltenham is closing on August 29 Credit: Decathlon International store Decathlon is set to close its Cheltenham branch, its only store in Gloucestershire, later this month. The branch was the the French brand’s first store in the south west of England. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Customers will now have to travel to Oxford, Birmingham or Cardiff if they want to browse in store. Signs on the store in Regent Arcade, which opened in November 2021, state that it will close on August 29. Founded in France in 1976, Decathlon currently operates nearly 1,900 stores across 80 countries. Francesca Inman, the chief executive of Cheltenham Business Improvement District, said the loss of Decathlon is “dramatic” as it has been “a really distinctive part of the town centre since opening”. Decathlon fans have also been responding to the news of the closure on social media. One person wrote on Facebook: “One of the few proper sports shops left.” Most read in Money Another said: “One of the few shops I actually go to. Gutted.” A third person added: “It’s a real shame as we now have no sports store within the town centre.” The Sun has approached Decathlon for comment. Comment now