Crowds of shoppers and visitors out on Oxford Street (Image: Getty Images)
UK high streets are poised for further setbacks as leading retailers prepare to permanently pull down the shutters on a number of their stores come this May. Following last month’s budget, which saw a rise in employer National Insurance contributions alongside ballooning energy and rent costs, retailers are feeling the squeeze, compounded by dwindling foot traffic.
2023 has dealt a tough hand to the retail industry, with familiar brands such as WHSmith, Iceland, The Entertainer, and Sainsbury’s already closing branches. Nevertheless, it’s essential to recognise that the evolving nature of retail regularly involves store openings and closures, signaling not necessarily distress but ongoing strategy realignment.
According to BristolLive, the reasons range widely, including strategic relocations, addressing underperforming outlets, or seizing opportunities in new markets where these retailers aren’t as well-represented – showing the industry’s cutthroat but dynamic character.
Ahead are the details of high street shops we will bid farewell to next month:, reports the Daily Star.
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A WH Smith Plc sign hangs outside a store (Image: Getty Images)
Trade Me In.
The gadget trade-in shop situated in St John’s Shopping Centre in Leeds is shuttering its doors for the last time on May 31. Trade Me In cites the “big companies filling high streets” as the culprit for their closure in an official statement.
The statement reads: “Though it’s undeniably sad to see TMI come to an end, it’s important to remember the significance of shopping at small businesses. Soon the high street will be filled with nothing but big companies, so support your local coffee house, support your indie markets, support your small businesses because they’re all struggling right now.”
Birmingham’s cherished fast food joint, The Meat Shack on Thorp Street, is set to close after eight years of service. The establishment will bid farewell to its customers on May 10, as the owners seek a new location following the termination of their lease, with the current site earmarked for demolition or redevelopment.
In another blow to UK retail heritage, Beales, one of the nation’s oldest department stores, will cease operations with the closure of its final shop on May 14. Having first opened its doors in Bournemouth in 1881, the company has confirmed that its Poole branch in the Dolphin Centre is set to close.
Chief executive Tony Brown attributed the closure to the tax and wage increases announced in the Budget, which rendered the business “unviable”. Speaking to the Telegraph, he expressed: “This, coupled with the risks and uncertainty of further tax increases in the coming years, have left us no other option.”
Despite the challenges, Brown noted that they have been coordinating with the Dolphin Centre and their investors for a smooth transition.
Young woman shopping in the city, legs and hands close up, carrying paper bags. (Image: Getty Images)
Beales had previously fallen into administration in January 2020, resulting in the closure of 22 out of its 23 stores.
Smiggle.
The Smiggle store in Inverness, Scotland is set to shut its doors on May 21. The stationery outlet, situated in the Eastgate Shopping Centre, has launched a massive 50% off clearance sale, with staff hinting to the Press and Journal that the store might close even sooner if stock flies off the shelves.
The closure comes as Smiggle’s lease expires, and the company has chosen not to renew it. The brand currently boasts 107 locations across the UK.
In other news, Wetherspoons will be saying goodbye to The Spon Gate pub in Coventry on May 25, leaving the city with just two remaining Spoons establishments.
“It is a commercial decision taken by Wetherspoon,” a spokesperson declared, expressing gratitude to both staff and patrons for their support over the years.
Meanwhile, Next is also downsizing, opting to close its branch in Darlington Retail Park which opened its doors back in 2021. This move follows Next’s previous warnings about potential store closures.
Shoe Zone has been facing a tough time, with “challenging trading conditions” and escalating costs leading to a significant 40% drop in pre-tax profits in 2023. A spokesperson had earlier acknowledged that rising business rates, wage hikes, and adverse weather have rendered some outlets “unviable.”
Consequently, the Shoe Zone store on Devonshire Road, Bexhill, which has been signalling its closure since November, will cease trading on May 13.
Poundland.
The retail landscape is shifting as Pepco-owned shopping chain eyes up closures amidst sale considerations, with Liverpool’s Belle Vale Shopping Centre outlet preparing to shut on May 6.
A Poundland store in Sidcup, London. (Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Morrisons.
Morrisons, a major UK grocer, had confirmed plans last month to shutter 17 Daily convenience stores and various cafes, meat counters, fishmongers, and pharmacies. While most Dailies are slated for closure this April, the Haxby shop remains open until May 14.
The Entertainer.
Top toy seller The Entertainer bids farewell to more outlets, including its Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria branch, due to close on May 3.
Keith Stenhouse, regional head at The Entertainer, expressed his sentiments: “We are sad to be closing our Barrow in Furness store as of 3rd May and would like to thank our customers and staff for their loyalty and support.”
He further emphasized the brand’s dedication: “We’re proud of the service we’ve offered and are committed to supporting our employees through this situation.”
The chain boasts over 160 stores across the nation.
WHSmith.
In another significant change, WHSmith, now under the wing of Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital, has earmarked several stores for closure. Selling nearly 500 of its outlets in the UK, three are expected to cease operations in May.
The Oldham store in Greater Manchester is set to close on May 3, followed by the Stockton shop in County Durham on May 17. The Frenchgate Centre branch in Doncaster will also be shutting its doors on May 31.