‘Bitter pill’ as retailer prepares to close business in Maidenhead after 35 years

A retailer of nearly 35 years will close its business for good once it leaves Maidenhead town centre in May.

Hard Edge began as a skate store in 1991, one of several menswear stores in the town, supplying clothing, footwear and equipment.

Manager Richard Grose has worked at the independent store for 14 years, and when its 25-year lease ended in 2019, he relocated from 100-102 High Street into the Nicholsons Centre.

“We looked at Reading, but the Nicholsons came up, so we decided to stay where we know,” Richard told the Advertiser.

“We’re a local business, we’re not a regional business, and we’ve always tried to stay local and provide a service to the local community.

“Once we close, in theory, there’s no more menswear shops in town unless you count Peakes Menswear, which caters for more suits and boots and the older generation.

“We’ve always had the niche where we’ve outlived everyone else. When we came to town, there were seven menswear shops, and we’re the last one standing.

“Unfortunately, we’ve not been able to carry on. Hard Edge, as it stands, is closed for business. We will move the business online for a while, but it’s very hard to sustain without bricks and mortar, so we’ll eventually close that down as well.”

Richard said independent shops were priced out of Maidenhead town centre ‘a long while back’ due to business rates, and Hard Edge hasn’t been able to secure an alternative location.

Their final day of trading is May 31, and they must vacate the premises by June 19.

Hard Edge opened when Maidenhead was a shopping destination, Richard previously told the Advertiser.

In 2019, Richard also said that if any major retailers, such as Topshop, Boots or Marks and Spencer, moved away, it would mark the end of Maidenhead High Street.

Now with the imminent relocation of M&S, Richard said: “The question you must ask is why would a shop want to stay in Maidenhead at this moment in time?

“Many generations of Maidonians have shopped here, going back 30 plus years. I have customers with children telling them, ‘I used to shop here when I was your age’.

“We’ve always employed local, and many, many people have been employed by us over the years That says it all. It’s unfortunate that won’t carry on. As a business, when you’ve been in town since 1992, your roots are here and closing the way we have is a bitter pill when we see what’s going on around us.”

He said tenants suffered a ‘long waiting game’ before being informed in December that the Nicholsons Centre is scheduled to close in June to allow for its demolition and redevelopment.

Areli’s major redevelopment of the Nicholsons Centre into shops, restaurants, offices, flats and a new multi-storey car park was given the green light by Royal Borough councillors last year.

“We didn’t expect anything less, but we expected more information,” said Richard.

“How do you run the company when you’re being told you’re closing very soon without being given a specific date?”

The Advertiser previously reported tenants were sent letters in mid-November, saying the centre would close in the ‘first half of 2026’.

The next month, management agents KLM Asset Partners told tenants the centre would close at the ‘end of June 2026’.

The letter added: “We want to reassure you that over the coming months our focus will be on supporting you and helping to maintain a positive trading environment.”

A further letter was sent by KLM to tenants this month, stating that they are ‘currently intending to close the shopping centre in early June to enable the redevelopment works to commence’.

Richard added: “At least we know what’s happening, whereas before it was ‘we hope, we aim’. Hope and aim isn’t anything – I hope to win the lottery, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to. It’s best to say we will update you nearer the time. If there’s a delay, then they kicked everybody out for nothing.”