Retailers have faced a bleak landscape in 2025 with what seems like a fresh wave of store closures every month. The latest data from the Centre for Retail Research published in February shows 206 stores and 1,233 employees affected by seven “failing businesses”, including Homebase, Beales, Select Fashion, and Quiz Clothing. While some continue to trade online or undergo big changes, their high street presence has been depleted.
A similar trend will continue into April as many brands prepare to shutter select branches. High street retailers are being challenged by competition from online stores, which, coupled with high commercial rents and slower consumer spending, makes flagship stores increasingly difficult to sustain.
Greggs
The illuminated four-square logo will be spotted less in Cambridge starting in April.
A Greggs branch on Fitzroy Street will tempt customers with pastries and sandwiches for the final time next weekend before it closes on March 31.
It marks a sad loss for fans of the major bakery chain, who have expressed their devastation over the news. A Facebook user commented, “I nearly cried when I read the news that the Grafton Greggs is closing.”
Greggs bid farewell to a site in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, earlier in January.
WHSmith
The retailer revealed plans to shut 17 stores this year and could sell all 500 of its high-street shops in the UK. It is also planning a big expansion sometime in the future, but in April, the focus is on the closure of five branches:
- Halstead, Essex (April)
- Halesowen, West Midlands (April)
- Diss, Norfolk (April)
- Newport, Isle of Wight (April)
- Haverhill, Suffolk (April 26)
Sainsbury’s
A total of 61 Sainsbury’s cafes will close for good, meaning the supermarket’s affordable delights, including £4.30 jacket potatoes, £7 chicken tikka masala, and £6.75 fish and chips, will be axed.
Sainsbury’s revealed earlier this year that it would ‘simplify the business’ as most shoppers rarely use the cafes. Widespread closures will result in 3,000 job cuts across the supermarket’s branches.
Exact dates for the closures have yet to be confirmed, though they have been imminent since they were announced in January. A spokesperson told Express.co.uk that “the consultation process is ongoing”.
Full list of Sainsbury’s cafe closures
- Fosse Park, Leicestershire
- Pontypridd, South Wales
- Rustington, West Sussex
- Scarborough, North Yorkshire
- Penzance, Cornwall
- Denton, Greater Manchester
- Wrexham, North Wales
- Longwater, Norwich, Norfolk
- Ely, Cambridgeshire
- Pontllanfraith, South Wales
- Emersons Green, South Gloucestershire
- Nantwich, Cheshire
- Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon
- Pepper Hill – Northfleet, Kent
- Marshall Lake, Solihull, West Midlands
- Rhyl, North Wales
- Lincoln, Lincolnshire
- Bridgemead, Swindon, Wiltshire
- Larkfield, Aylesford, Kent
- Whitchurch Bargates, Shropshire
- Sedlescombe Road, Hastings, East Sussex
- Barnstaple, Devon
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
- Kings Lynn Hardwick, Norfolk
- Truro, Cornwall
- Warren Heath, Ipswich, Suffolk
- Godalming, Surrey
- Hereford, Herefordshire
- Chichester, West Sussex
- Bognor Regis, West Sussex
- Newport, South Wales
- Talbot Heath, Dorset
- Rugby, Warwickshire
- Cannock, Staffordshire
- Leek, Staffordshire
- Winterstoke Road, Bristol
- Hazel Grove, Stockport, Greater Manchester
- Morecambe, Lancashire
- Darlington, County Durham
- Monks Cross, Huntington, North Yorkshire
- Marsh Mills, Plymouth, Devon
- Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex
- Durham, County Durham
- Bamber Bridge, Lancashire
- Weedon Road, Northampton, East Midlands
- Hempstead Valley, Kent
- Hedge End, Hampshire
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
- Thanet Westwood Cross, Kent
- Stanway, Colchester, Essex
- Castle Point, Essex
- Isle of Wight
- Keighley, West Yorkshire
- Swadlincote, Derbyshire
- Leicester North, East Midlands
- Wakefield Marsh Way, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
- Torquay, Devon
- Waterlooville, Hampshire
- Macclesfield, Cheshire
- Harrogate, North Yorkshire
- Cheadle, Greater Manchester
Morrisons
Supermarket chain Morrisons is shutting dozens of Morrisons Daily convenience stores and Morrisons Cafés, Market Kitchens, florists, meat counters, fish counters and pharmacies. Here are the store and café closures.
Morrisons stores
- Bath, Moorland Road
- Exeter, 51 Sidwell Street
- Goring-By-Sea, Strand Parade
- Gorleston, Lowestoft Road
- Great Barr, Queslett Road
- Haxby Village
- Peebles, 3-5 Old Town
- Poole, Waterloo Estate
- Romsey, The Cornmarket
- Selsdon, Featherbed Lane
- Shenfield, 214 Hutton Road
- Stewarton, Lainshaw Street
- Tonbridge Higham, Lane Est
- Whickham, Oakfield Road
- Woking, Westfield Road
- Wokingham, 40 Peach Street
- Worle
Morrisons cafés
- Bradford Thornbury
- Paisley Falside Rd
- London Queensbury
- Portsmouth
- Great Park
- Banchory North Deeside Rd
- Failsworth Poplar Street
- Blackburn Railway Road
- Leeds Swinnow Rd
- London Wood Green
- Kirkham Poulton St
- Lutterworth Bitteswell Rd
- Stirchley
- Leeds Horsforth
- London Erith
- Crowborough
- Bellshill John St
- Dumbarton Glasgow Rd
- East Kilbride Lindsayfield
- East Kilbride Stewartfield
- Glasgow Newlands
- Largs Irvine Rd
- Troon Academy St
- Wishaw Kirk Rd
- Newcastle UT Cowgate
- Northampton Kettering Road
- Bromsgrove Buntsford Ind Pk
- Solihull Warwick Rd
- Brecon Free St
- Caernarfon North Rd
- Hadleigh
- London – Harrow – Hatch End
- High Wycombe Temple End
- Leighton Buzzard Lake St
- London Stratford
- Sidcup Westwood Lane
- Welwyn Garden City Black Fan Rd
- Warminster Weymouth St
- Oxted Station Yard
- Reigate Bell St
- Borehamwood
- Weybridge – Monument Hill
- Bathgate
- Erskine Bridgewater SC
- Gorleston Blackwell Road
- Connah’s Quay
- Mansfield Woodhouse
- Elland
- Gloucester – Metz Way
- Watford – Ascot Road
- Littlehampton – Wick
- Helensburgh