SHOPPERS have been faced with hundreds of empty store fronts already this year, with another 10 shops set to close just tomorrow.
In a tricky start to 2023 major retailers have announced closures, including B&M, Argos and H&M.
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The high street has taken further battering with food and drink chains too including Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s also announcing closures.
It comes after businesses have been fighting to bounce back following the Covid pandemic, only to then be hit with skyrocketing energy bills too.
With shoppers hit with rising costs as well, it means that they are spending less money on non-essential items in a bid to avoid higher prices.
Also, the increased popularity of online shopping, stemming from various lockdowns, means that there is less footfall on British high streets.
Tomorrow alone, 10 shops will be closing their doors for the last time, but which sites are shutting for good?
M&Co
After falling into administration last year, popular clothing shop M&Co announced that all of its 170 shops will be closing.
Administrators at Teneo put the bust business up for sale with an auction deadline for interested buyers.
M&Co’s brand and intellectual property was sold to Yours Clothing but the stores weren’t and are set to close.
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So far, 51 M&Co locations have already disappeared from the high street.
A total of 43 other sites have now had their closure dates confirmed.
Tomorrow, Saturday 15, will see the following pull down the shutters for the last time:
- Congleton – April 15
- Egham – April 15
- Faversham – April 15
- Haverhill – April 15
- Orkney – April 15
- Peterhead – April 15
- Sleaford – April 15
- Sudbury – April 15
For the full list of shops which have already confirmed their closing dates see our story.
M&S
Following a string of closures already, posh shop M&S will also be shutting up shop at two sites this weekend.
The retailer has already closed multiple branches, including in London and Edinburgh.
It comes as the company said it plans on closing 67 stores over the next five years.
Although, it’s not all bad news because the company also plans to open 104 new “bigger and fresher” food stores.
That includes 20 new stores across the UK this year, including in Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester.
Its branch in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, is set to close on April 15.
Its store in Deansgate, Bolton, is also shutting tomorrow.
What other shops are closing?
Hundreds of shops have already closed for good this year, with dozens also marked to shut their doors.
Stationery giant Paperchase recently closed all its 106 stores after collapsing into administration.
Argos will closed the doors on its Coatbridge branch in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
One of the UK’s biggest card retailers Clintons has shut two stores for good last month.
While health and beauty retailer Boots also closed two shops last month.
B&Q shut eight “mini-shops” found inside Asda supermarkets in March too.
It’s not just retailers closing branches – Wetherspoon and Stonegate, which owns Slug and Lettuce and Be At One, are closing a number of boozers and restaurants this year.
And big-name banks are closing dozens of branches this month – including Barclays and HSBC.
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