Dobbies confirms Antrim closure as landlord plans redevelopment at The Junction

Dobbies has confirmed that its Antrim garden centre will close at the end of October after its new landlord, Frasers Group, decided to redevelop the site for new retail and leisure uses.

The retailer said its immediate priority is supporting colleagues affected by the closure, although the number of jobs involved has not been disclosed. Redeployment opportunities and individual support options will be explored.

The store opened at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park in 2023 and has built what Dobbies described as a “loyal customer base”.

Closure follows change of ownership

The decision comes shortly after Frasers Group acquired The Junction from Lotus Property. Notice has now been served on Dobbies as plans are developed for the next phase of the Antrim shopping and leisure destination.

No details have yet been released about what will replace the garden centre or when redevelopment work is expected to begin.

A spokesperson for Dobbies said:

“Dobbies will close its Antrim garden centre at the end of October following the decision by its new Landlord, Frasers Group, to redevelop the site for new retail and leisure uses.

“Since opening in 2023, Dobbies has worked closely with The Junction to establish a garden centre in a unique destination better known for outlet retail. The store has built a loyal customer base, and we are proud of what has been achieved.

“We are grateful for the support of The Junction, Lotus Property and Frasers Group throughout our time at the outlet and wish them every success with the redevelopment. We would also like to thank our customers and the local community for their support over the past three years.”

Support promised for affected employees

The company acknowledged that the closure would be difficult for staff and said it would examine whether some employees could be offered roles elsewhere.

The spokesperson continued:

“We recognise this will be difficult news for our Antrim colleagues. Our immediate priority is supporting everyone affected by this change, and we will explore redeployment opportunities and individual support options for colleagues.

“This decision relates specifically to the Antrim site and does not reflect Dobbies’ wider business performance. Over the past year, we have invested around £6 million across our store estate, and we continue to invest in our centres as part of our growth strategy, which is delivering positive results.”

Dobbies stressed that it remains committed to Northern Ireland and plans to invest significantly in its Lisburn garden centre over the coming months.

Improvements are planned for the Lisburn restaurant, store facilities, product range and overall customer experience.

New plans being developed for The Junction

The Junction said the closure formed part of plans to expand and improve its wider retail and leisure offering.

Alastair Coulson, Managing Director at Lotus Property, said:

“Over the past three years, Dobbies has been a hugely valued presence at The Junction, and we are grateful for everything they have brought to the scheme and to the Antrim community.

“This decision reflects the exciting next phase for The Junction, as new plans are developed to enhance the scheme for the benefit of shoppers, businesses and the wider community. We look forward to sharing more on this in due course and seeing The Junction continue to thrive as a retail and leisure destination.”

The retail park recorded an 11% year-on-year increase in turnover during 2025 and recently secured a renewed commitment from long-standing tenant Next.

Its established operators include Nike, Asics, Mountain Warehouse, Trespass, Starbucks and Omniplex cinema. More recent arrivals include Murdock Builders Merchants, Popeyes, Blether & Brew café and Greggs.

For customers and employees, the immediate consequence is that Dobbies will continue trading in Antrim only until the end of October. What will replace it—and the scale and timetable of the proposed redevelopment—remain to be announced.