Games Workshop shuts down all stores and warns of coronavirus impact on its sales

by


Games Workshop shuts down all stores and warns of coronavirus impact on its sales as UK goes into lockdown

  • Retailer warns performance has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic 
  • It has closed down all of its stores and warehouses with immediate effect
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By Camilla Canocchi for Thisismoney.co.uk

Published: | Updated:

Fantasy war gaming company Games Workshop has become the latest retailer to warn that its global performance has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The retailer, which sells Warhammer gaming figurines and other miniatures, said it has closed down all of its stores and warehouses with immediate effect after the UK government’s new directives announced last night. 

It comes as last night Boris Johnson ordered the immediate closure of all non-essential shops for at least three weeks, and threatened people with fines or even arrest if they do not ‘stay at home’. 

Shutting stores down: Games Workshop plans to update investors again in due course about the impact of closures

Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct yesterday said it planned to keep its shops open amid the coronavirus outbreak. But this morning it said it will close its stores. 

Game Workshop said trading was in line with expectations in the nine months until the end of February, but the coronavirus outbreak has had a negative impact on business since March.   

‘In response to official guidance announced today in both the UK and US, we will be temporarily closing globally all of our stores, headquarters, factory and warehouses with immediate effect,’ the company said.

‘Where possible, our staff will continue to work from home. Our priority is the health and wellbeing of our staff, their families and our customers.’

Games Workshop plans to update investors again in due course about the impact of closures.  

Its shares shed 32p to £42.60.

Games Workshop has experienced a meteoric rise on the stock exchange over the last decade. 

It recorded the second highest growth in value of any FTSE 250 company during the 2010s, recording a 2,630 per cent return on shareholder value. 

 

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.