It’s been a difficult year for the beloved UK high street and more than 1,900 retailers went bust between 2022 and 2023. Over the last year, insolvencies in the sector soared by 56 percent.
According to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), 6,000 shops have closed in the last five years alone.
With high street vacancy rates at 13.9 percent across the UK in the spring, according to BRC data, many shoppers will be seeing gaps in their town centre.
While independent shops have suffered the brunt of closures, big names including Boots, Next and Wetherspoon have also been affected.
Where are the latest closures to hit the UK high street?
Iceland closures
Iceland will shutter stores as part of plans to adapt to “local shopping patterns”.
- Birkenhead, Merseyside – closing on September 26
- Trinity Street, Huddersfield – closing on October 28
Managing director of Iceland Foods, Richard Walker, told Express.co.uk: “We typically open more than 20 new stores each year, creating many new jobs and contributing to the growth of local economies. At the same time, we continually review the retail experience offered to our customers and have always made a small number of store closures every year, as local shopping patterns change and shop leases expire.”
He added: “Across Iceland and The Food Warehouse we have a portfolio of over UK 1,000 stores, and our retail estate has grown by nearly 200 stores over the last 10 years. The business is currently trading very strongly, achieving record market shares. Customers can find their closest Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores www.iceland.co.uk/store-finder.”
Boots closures
Boots has plans to shutter hundreds of stores across the UK and five stores will close by the end of October.
- Front Street, Prudhoe – closing after the summer
- Jardine Crescent, Coventry – closing after the summer
- Guildford Road, Woking – closing in October
- Windhill Road, Wakefield – closing on October 6
- Upper Warrengate, Wakefield – closing on October 7
Speaking to Express.co.uk, a spokesperson for Boots explained that the move will allow the company to optimise the number and format of the stores and “concentrate” its 52,000 team members “where they are needed”.
They added: “We can confirm that the stores listed are part of the Boots store consolidation programme previously announced. All team members from these stores will be offered alternative roles.”
Wetherspoon closures
Wetherspoon has announced the closure of 11 pubs by the end of 2023.
- The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
- The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
- Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
- The Gate House, Doncaster
- The Market Cross, Holywell
- The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
- The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
- The Hain Line, St Ives
- The Sir Norman Rae, Shipley
- The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
- The White Hart, Todmorden
Next closures
Next is set to close 11 more stores across the UK after bosses admitted a dozen shops would not meet targets. The affected stores are yet to be announced.
