Ongoing waves of store closures have plagued high streets across the UK with more to follow later this month.
More than a dozen retailers planned for shops to be axed in July, with some having already bid farewell to stores.
Most recently, the beloved British pub chain Wetherspoon confirmed that it would shut 36 of its boozers, despite total sales reaching “record levels” even with “fewer pubs”.
Retail giants including The Works, which is known for its varied offering of arts, crafts, stationery and books will follow suit with the isolated closure of a site in Northern England.
Many more, namely Marks and Spencer, Costa Coffee, WHSmith, Poundland, Robert Dyas, the Card Factory and B&M will follow suit, marking a sad loss for the shoppers who frequent the sites scheduled to cease trading.
Stores closing in July
B&M
The popular bargain brand closed a site just days ago in Gainsborough. The Lord Street branch ceased trading on July 17, though a new store in the nearby Marshalls Yard will open very soon on July 20.
Poundland
Poundland also orchestrated one of the most recent store closures among industry giants when it bid farewell to a branch in Hitchin. A second site will follow suit on July 20 in Freeman Street, Grimsby, after it was also unable to secure a long-term lease on the trading unit.
Card Factory
Shoppers in Lanarkshire, Scotland will see their local Card Factory branch close for good on July 20. There is an alternative site just 0.2 miles away, located in the Antonine Shopping Centre on Forth Walk, which prompted the decision to close the Teviot Street shop, a Card Factory spokesperson said.
Robert Dyas
The hardware giant will lose its “excellent” location in Castlepoint, Bournemouth, on July 20, leaving behind two alternative stores in Poole and Christchurch. A spokesperson for Robert Dyas confirmed: “The landlord has served notice on our Castle Point store, as they wanted to split the unit in two and sadly we were not able to mutually agree on terms in bidding for one of those units.”
B&Q
Joining several other retailers in closing stores on July 20 is B&Q. Not to be confused with B&M, the DIY chain will drop the Sudbury site from its store portfolio due to an expired store lease.
Costa Coffee
Known worldwide for its delicious menu of coffee and other exciting drinks, Costa fans in Inverness will be gutted to hear of the closure of the Inglis Street cafe. A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: “We can confirm that our Costa Coffee store on Inglis Street in Inverness is due to close for trade on July 24.”
Peacocks
Fans of the clothing brand who frequent the site on Holywell High Street, Flintshire, will see the Welsh branch close permanently on July 25.
The Works
A day later, on July 26, The Works will close its store in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland after being left unable to agree to new terms on its lease. A spokesperson for the brand said that they “apologise for any inconvenience caused by this closure and would like to thank customers for shopping at the store over the years”.
Marks and Spencer
A 33-year-old M&S store in Redhill, Surrey will be shut down on August 17 as part of the brand’s huge shake-up to its portfolio of UK sites. The branch, which is located in The Belfry Shopping Centre, has been described as a popular spot for shoppers, though it hasn’t been enough to save it.
WHSmith
A pillar on British high streets since 1972, WHSmith is known for selling a range of best-selling books, newspapers and stationery. But soon shoppers in Cheshire will lose their local branch after the company revealed that it would close the Stanley Square store on Saturday, September 14.
Wetherspoons
As for Wetherspoons, 36 pubs have been earmarked for closure though exact dates are yet to be confirmed. Six Wetherspoons branches are currently under offer and could be the first to sell, including Jolly Sailor, Bristol, The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield and The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon as well as The Hain Line, St Ives and Foot of the Walk, Leith and London and Rye, London.
