MAJOR high street retailers are pulling the shutters down for good on some of their branches this weekend.
Soaring inflation has left shoppers strapped for cash, and retailers are struggling to get customers to part with their hard-earned money.
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High energy costs and a shift to online shopping are also taking a toll and many brands and many just haven’t been able to keep going.
But not every retailer is shutting stores for good – some are expanding.
Greggs will open eight branches including an outlet store and a drive thru over August and September
While B&M is opening seven new branches across the UK within weeks.
Below we have listed all the stores closing this weekend – including New Look and Clarkes.
New Look
New Look is pulling down the shutters its branch in Littlehampton on Sunday, August 6.
It comes after The Sun revealed the fashion retailer will close its shop in the Kings Chase Shopping Centre, Bristol on August 9.
Plus its branch in the Crossgates Shopping Centre, Leeds, will close for the final time at the end of August
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It comes after it closed four branches in July. The full list of New Look closures are listed below:
- Birmingham, Fort Shopping Park – January 9
- Trowbridge – January 23
- Coventry – January 29
- Birmingham, Bullring – January 30
- Walthamstow, London – February 4
- Northampton – February 15
- Witham – May 18
- Teesside Retail Park – July 7
- Middlesbrough – July 8
- Fosse Park Shopping Centre, Leicester – July 25
- White Rose Centre, Rhyl, Wales – July 25
Despite the raft of closures, it’s not all bad news for New Look.
In November 2022, it opened several shops across the UK and has plans to open more this year, although it is yet to say how many and where in the UK they will be.
Clarkes
Clarks is closing its doors to customers in Fareham Shopping Centre on Saturday, August 5.
A spokesperson for the shopping centre said: “We were disappointed to learn of Clarks forthcoming closure which we believe to be August 5.
“We have endeavoured to retain them, but we understand that nationally they are looking to reduce the number of stores they operate from following the company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
“This was a corporate decision which is particularly disappointing as we understand the store was highly profitable.
“We shall be working hard to find a replacement and have a number of interesting leads that we are pursuing.”
The shoe shop last closed a store in Dundee on July 25.
Before this, it brought the shutters down on two stores in Kent in Ashford and Gillingham at the end of 2022.
Smyths
Toy chain Smyths is to close its store in Fareham, Hampshire on Sunday, August 6.
The locator tool on the Smyth’s website shows that the store will be closed after Sunday.
It will mean the nearest stores for shoppers in the area will be in Hedge End and Portsmouth.
We have contacted Smyths for comment and we will update this story once we hear back.
The toy shop currently has over 100 stores throughout the UK and Ireland.
Other store closures
B&M has closed a number of stores in recent months, with some closing for good and some relocating to other sites.
In August a total of two shops will be closing for the last time.
The store at Kiln Lane in Reading will shut on Saturday, August 19.
B&M is also temporarily closing its store at Glasgow Forge store on Sunday, August 20.
Supermarket chain Iceland has already pulled down the shutters on just under a dozen shops this year.
But the retailer, which operates around 500 branches currently, plans to make one further closure in August.
Iceland will be shutting its branch in Fife on August 12.
It will then be closing another supermarket in September.
Argos will be pulling the shutters down on a total of eight shops next month.
The popular retailer has already closed a number of its UK stores as part of its plan to move away from the high street.
Supermarket chain Co-op is also set to shut down more branches following a string of closures earlier this year.
The Sun has put together a handy guide to all the shops closing down in August.
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