A major garden centre chain will close its only Norfolk branch as part of a major shake-up.

Dobbies will shut 17 "unprofitable" sites - including the store at the Hardwick Road Tesco in King's Lynn - by the end of the year.

In total, 11 of the culled stores are mainline sites and six are smaller "Little Dobbies". 

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A report by Retail Gazette stated that 465 of the firm's 3,600 employees would be impacted.

It added the retailer would seek temporary rent reductions from its landlords at a further nine sites, although these have not yet been named.

A Dobbies spokesman confirmed the news on Tuesday morning.

He explained: “We are implementing a restructuring plan to address historically uneconomical rent costs and to create a strong platform to return our business to profitability, access future investment and ensure a sustainable, long-term future for Dobbies.

“We are sorry to confirm that this includes the closure of our King’s Lynn store.

"Subject to the restructuring plan being approved, we expect this store to cease trading by the end of the year.

"Until that time, the store will remain open as usual.”

The business was first founded as a seed merchant by James Dobbie in Renfrew, Scotland, in 1865.

It currently operates 77 stores nationwide.