The last branch of a 144-year-old department store that was once a staple of British high streets is preparing to close its doors and has made a brutal dig at the Chancellor while doing so. Beales fell into administration in January 2020 and closed 22 of its 23 UK branches in the same year.
Its one remaining store in the seaside town of Poole, Dorset, kept the once-iconic brand chugging along, however, that is, until Labour's tax hikes put the famous retailer in an untenable position. CEO Tony Brown confirmed that the branch, in Poole's Dolphin Shopping Centre, would close at the end of May, and has launched a tongue-in-cheek "Rachel Reeves closing down sale" to mark the occasion.
The retailer's Facebook page said the sale would include discounts of up to 80%, and cheekily added: "Thanks for the help, Chancellor."
