HUNDREDS of shops are set to close their doors for good this year, and a number will pull down their shutters in March.
The high street has taken a battering in recent years as retailers struggle to stay financially viable following strict coronavirus lockdowns.
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Plus, shoppers have been cutting back due to soaring inflation.
It has been coming down in recent months, but as of January still stood at 10.1%.
To put that in context, the Bank of England (BoE) has a 2% target – that’s over 8% from where it needs to be.
It’s seen the BoE increasing its base rate to try and drag the figure down.
B&M, Boots and B&Q are just some of the chains who have been feeling the pinch and having to close stores.
Here is the full list of shops set to close in March.
Argos
Catalogue retailer Argos is closing a handful of standalone stores across the high street in 2023.
Its Coatbridge branch, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, will pull down its shutters on March 11.
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It comes as part of Sainsbury’s plans to shut 50 standalone branches by the end of the month.
B&M
B&M is set to close four of its stores this year, including in Stockton and Bristol.
It’s also closing its Kilmarnock branch in the Queens Drive Retail park on March 26.
Boots
The health and beauty retailer is closing two stores this year after already pulling down shutters on its Salford Shopping Centre branch.
It will be closing its outlet in Church Street, Malvern, and Port Arcades Shopping Centre, in Ellesmere, branches on March 11.
B&Q
B&Q is set to close eight “mini shops” inside Asda supermarkets from March 11.
The full list includes:
- Sheffield Drakehouse
- Dagenham
- Roehampton
- Edmonton
- Thurmaston
- Great Bridge
- Lancaster
- Hartlepool
Clintons
One of the UK’s biggest card retailers Clintons has announced it will close two stores for good by the end of this month.
Its store in Whitehaven, Cumbria, is closing on March 19.
Bolton’s Market Street store is set to close by the end of the month too, although a specific date has not been confirmed.
Iceland
Iceland, known mostly for stocking frozen goods, is closing down two stores this month.
The White Rose Centre, in Rhyl, Wales, will say goodbye to customers for the last time on March 14.
Meanwhile, the branch in South Street, Newport, Isle of Wight, will close this month, although a specific date is yet to be confirmed.
What other stores are closing this year?
A number of other retailers are set to close stores for good later this year.
In some cases, specific dates haven’t been confirmed though.
Halford has said it is closing its East Road Retail Park branch in Irvine after two already shut up shop.
Meanwhile, House of Fraser is looking to close two locations.
Supermarket giant M&S is closing more stores later this year after half a dozen already did.
M&Co’s 170 shops will close forever this year, putting 1,910 jobs at risk.
Paperchase is already in the process of closing stores too.
It comes as the owner of Lloyds Pharmacy put all of its 1,300 branches at risk of closure.
That doesn’t mean they are certain to shutter down, but its private equity owner has launched a strategic review of its entire UK store base.
It has 17,000 employees across the business.
