Residents of the Borough of Ealing will soon be welcoming an apartment complex, replacing Homebase- the DIY store with a built-in Argos.
The company has previously announced 42 out of their 241 branches will be closing from the end of 2018 to the beginning of 2019, the Acton store being one of them. Due to low sales and diminishing profits, Hilco- a restructuring company which famously bought the failing business for £1, confirmed in May 2018 they were planning a Company Voluntary Arrangement. The term CVA is an insolvency procedure, a type of composition with creditors whereby the company’s debts are often lessened and repaid over a longer period of time.
The new building will consist of 333 homes, a 2,086sq-m supermarket store and a community café, increasing the supply of homes and making grocery shopping easier and manageable for many local inhabitants of Acton. Although it has been rumoured that Lidl will be the supermarket store soon to open, nothing has been officially confirmed. However, other Homebase stores such as the Colchester branch have been closed and coincidentally replaced by Lidl.
I asked Suraya, a resident who has lived in the local area for 14 years, about her opinions on the closure of the DIY store. She responded: “I’ve really grown to love this area; its diversity and lively atmosphere is one to be cherished. It makes me sad that this store closed as I have so many fond memories of the place; it served the community for years and the staff were always so lovely and welcoming. However, homes and a new grocery shop will be really useful so I am also quite excited for the new changes but it just won’t be the same.”
Significant action has recently begun in the area as the store was dismantled and demolished. Machinery, bricks and dust have now taken the place of the financially struggling store. Nevertheless, it will transform into a sophisticated yet practical building which will be efficiently utilised by all.
