The Thing-Me-Bobs discount store in Newmarket is to close later this month, with five staff facing redundancy.

Thing-Me-Bobs is part of the regional QD Stores group and the Newmarket branch at 122 High Street is being merged with the larger QD-branded shop nearby at 42 High Street.

Chris Reeve, operations manager for both stores, said: “It is very sad to be leaving the Thing-Me-Bobs store, which has been part of the QD family for five years. It was a hard decision but a change in the leasehold interest has meant that we have had to take this action.

“However, we’re delighted to be transferring the business just a short distance along Newmarket High Street to the existing QD store.”

Four members of staff from the Thing-Me-Bobs store are relocating to other QD Group stores, in Newmarket, Ely and Pulham Market, and another has already found alternative employment. However, a spokesman for the group said that five employees faced redundancy.

Nick Rubins, chief executive of the QD Group, said: “Decisions relating to property are always complex and are not taken easily and in no way reflect the hard work undertaken by our staff. We are continuing to expand as a company, always looking for new sites and hope to announce new stores in the near future.”

QD has opened four new stores in the past year at Sudbury, Lowestoft, Melton Mowbray and Raunds.