A popular fashion retailer is preparing to shut its doors in a busy Norfolk seaside town as part of a nationwide shake-up of the business. Signs have appeared in the windows of the River Island store on King Street, Great Yarmouth, announcing a closing-down sale with discounts of up to 30%.
The closure of the store follows the brand’s confirmation in June that this branch was among 33 of its 230 shops slated to close by January next year. The company has yet to announce an exact date for when the local store will cease trading. The move forms part of a major restructuring plan aimed at keeping the retailer sustainable amid tough trading conditions.
Up to 71 other sites could also face closure, depending on the outcome of further negotiations with landlords.
One person wrote about the River Island branch in a Google Review six days ago: “My favourite store in town. Very friendly staff.”
Another customer said: “Probably the best clothes store in Yarmouth. Only downside is it’s small.”
Someone else previously wrote in a review: “The customer service was fantastic, definitely the best out of all the River Island shops I’ve shopped in.”
River Island has said a shift in shopping habits and rising operating costs have contributed to the decision, stating that more customers are choosing to shop online rather than on the high street.
There are currently 230 River Island branches across the UK.
Ben Lewis, chief executive of River Island, previously said: “River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street.
“However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers’ needs.”