TOPSHOP and Topman in Bolton's Market Place are closing and the date has now been confirmed.

Both Topshop and Topman will close on March 28. The news comes as a closing down sale was announced in the store this week, with signs going up on the shop windows.

The site was the only Topshop Topman in Bolton. Both brands are owned by retail empire, the Arcadia Group. 

A spokesman for the Arcadia Group confirmed the date, saying: "The Topshop Topman Bolton store will cease trading on 28th March 2020 and we have endeavoured to offer current staff other employment options within the Arcadia Group.

"Our customers can still visit the nearby Topshop Topman Bury store or shop online at Topshop.com and Topman.com."

It has been confirmed that other neighbouring stores are set to close, including Blackburn's Topshop in The Mall shopping centre.

The Blackburn store will also close on March 28.

The next closest stores are Bury, Burnley and Wigan - which have all been saved. 

The spokesman said: "The Topshop Topman Bury, Burnley and Wigan continue to trade as normal."

The brands are the latest in a long list to leave Market Place — with Starbucks being another big name to recently depart the mall, saying goodbye in August after 11 years in residence.

Customers were upset to hear the news, sharing their thoughts on Facebook.

Alison Hilton wrote: “Not surprised, I used to feel like I was the only one in there every time I went in. People complain we have no shops, but don’t use them.”

Shopper Kelly Hulton said: “No shops left, pointless going in town now.”

Dave Gardner wrote: “The change to a ghost town continues.”

The Arcadia Group also holds shops like Miss Selfridge, Outfit, Dorothy Perkins and Evans among its empire. But the group has been battling through a difficult year.

Problems began in May 2019, when tycoon Sir Philip Green announced plans to close 23 stores in the UK and Ireland. The true scale of the Arcadia Group's troubles was then revealed in June, as the business fought off falling into administration.

The group was saved in the final hour, with creditors backing a rescue deal that would save 17,000 jobs. The plan still included the closure of an unnamed 50 stores and 1,000 job losses in a restructure.

This is also not the first time Topshop has closed in Market Place. Back in 2012, the store closed and was expected to remain shut. It was closely followed by Topman in 2013.

The brands made a triumphant return in 2016 and have been operating in Market Place ever since, but now shoppers have been given until March to enjoy the final months of the brand in Bolton.

Other Topshop stores up and down the country have also announced their closure this month. London’s Westfield Stratford centre branch will soon cease trading, along with stores in Aylesbury and Horsham.

Other Bolton businesses have shared shock at the news. Heavenly Desserts, which operates just across the road in Deansgate, has said: "What a shame. Let’s hope the planned renovation brings more people to the centre."