A series of store closures will take place over the next few days and weeks as major retailers down the shutters on branches across the UK.
Among them are popular women’s fashion brand Bonmarché and shoe giant Clarks. Both retailers join Boots, Homebase, WHSmith and Pizza Hut in closing much-loved UK stores for good.
It follows months of changes in the UK retail landscape, which have seen several chains fall victim to insurance challenges.
According to the Retail Trade Research Center, in the first five months of this year alone, approximately 804 stores were closed and 16,565 jobs were lost.
Since then, the large home care chain CTD Tiles has announced that it will close 56 branches. Most recently, supermarket giant Tesco closed a popular Express store just days ago on September 6, while Beales bid farewell to its store in Southport on September 7.
Stores will close this month
Home strain
Homebase will close the doors of its Cambridge Retail Park branch for good later this week. The store closes on Friday 13 September.
It comes after the retailer announced it was closing a selection of its 144 outlets as part of a deal with Sainsbury’s worth more than £1m. Some sites will be converted into Sainsbury’s supermarkets after they close, although Cambridge is not on the confirmed list.
However, Homebase stores in Sutton Coldfield, Bromsgrove, Cromer, Derry/Londonderry, Fareham, Inverurie, Lowestoft, Newark, Omagh and Rugby will be relocated.
Bonmarche
Bonmarché has confirmed it will close its branch in Arnold, Nottingham on 22nd September. It is believed to be closing because the retail landlord has increased the rent.
Locals, including MP Michael Payne, expressed their disappointment at the news. The MP said: “Bonmarché has been part of our community for many years, providing an essential service to many residents, including those who have reduced mobility shopping elsewhere or prefer not to shop online. The store has also been a vital workplace for many dedicated members of staff who have continuously promoted the business and activities of the local area.”
It’s not all bad news though, as Bonmarché confirmed plans to bring more stores to UK high streets between June 2024 and December 2025.
Clarks
The shoe giant is to close its branch in Selby Gowthorpe in a few days. Clarks said the branch in the North Yorkshire town, which shoppers have described as “amazing”, will close on Saturday September 14.
Locals have expressed their disappointment at the closure on social media, saying they are “sad to see it go”. The retailer thanked local buyers for their support over the years.
WHSmith
UK high street retailer WHSmith is closing a popular high street store in Sale as part of its strategy to streamline operations and focus on more profitable locations.
The craft and stationery giant is bidding farewell to its Stanley Square store this Saturday. A WHSmith spokesperson commented: “We can confirm that the WHSmith store in Sale will be closing on Saturday 14 September due to the landlord’s refurbishment plans.”
Boots
The pharmacy giant has not confirmed the closing dates for September, but it has closed locations after reviewing its properties. Last year, the health and beauty retailer announced it was closing 300 branches, and more than 250 have since closed.
Stores that are open and intended to be closed will be closed for good by the beginning of October. The purpose of the change is to reduce the chain’s store portfolio from approximately 2,200 to only 1,900.
Boots employs more than 52,000 team members and has said these closures will not lead to redundancies.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut fans who frequent Surrey Quays Leisure Park will see the restaurant close its doors for good this weekend. The site will cease trading on Saturday 14 September, along with the nearby Odeon cinema and Hollywood Bowl.
The triple closure is part of a redevelopment of the leisure park which will see the site transformed into a residential area with 384 new properties and a Tesco Extra store.
Several other high street brands have already closed stores this month, including Clarks, which closed a branch in March in Cambridgeshire on September 4.
The Homebase branch in Northampton’s Riverside Retail Park locked its doors for the last time on September 6, while WHSmith also said goodbye to its Bridgwater branch in Somerset on Saturday September 7.
