The UK's high streets are facing a brutal start to 2026, with a wave of store closures hitting major household names this January. Fashion giants River Island and Primark, alongside discount chain Poundland, are among those shutting down branches, dealing another blow to town centres still reeling from a devastating 2025.
A Grim Backdrop for Retail
The latest closures come against a stark backdrop of sector-wide distress. According to the Centre for Retail Research, 54 retailers collapsed in 2025, leading to the loss of 3,080 stores and 30,153 jobs. This turmoil is reflected in official data, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting a 0.1% dip in retail sales volumes for November, underscoring the ongoing challenges facing physical shops.
Major Retailers Pull Down the Shutters
River Island is embarking on a significant restructuring, closing at least 27 stores in January alone. This is part of a wider plan to shut 33 locations. Branches in Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees closed late last year. The following stores are scheduled for closure this month:
Aylesbury – January 18, 2026
Bangor Bloomfield – January 24, 2026
Barnstaple – January 31, 2026
Beckton – January 31, 2026
Burton upon Trent – January 18, 2026
Cumbernauld – January 24, 2026
Didcot – January 31, 2026
Falkirk – January 31, 2026
Gloucester – January 31, 2026
Grimsby – January 31, 2026
Hanley – January 24, 2026
Hartlepool – January 24, 2026
Hereford – January 31, 2026
Kilmarnock – January 24, 2026
Kirkcaldy – January 31, 2026
Leeds Birstall Park – January 18, 2026
Lisburn – January 18, 2026
Northwich – January 24, 2026
Oxford – January 31, 2026
Perth – January 18, 2026
Poole – January 31, 2026
Rochdale – January 31, 2026
St Helens – January 24, 2026
Surrey Quays – January 18, 2026
Sutton Coldfield – January 18, 2026
Taunton – January 18, 2026
Wrexham – January 18, 2026
Poundland is also continuing a major restructuring, approved by the High Court, with 12 shops set to close in January. This follows 57 closures by the end of September 2025, after the chain was sold to investment firm Gordon Brothers for £1. The January closures include:
Bexhill, East Sussex - January 5
Ponders End, Greater London - January 5
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire - January 5
Faversham, Kent - January 6
Mitcham, Greater London - January 14
Liverpool, Merseyside - January 15
Yeovil, Somerset - January 16
Cameron Toll, Edinburgh - January 20
Nottingham Eastpoint - January 22
Lymington, Hampshire - January 23
Christchurch, Dorset - January 23
Bristol Avon Meads - January 29
In a notable move, Primark closed its Dartford store on January 3. The fashion chain stated this was its first closure in over a decade and was due to the building requiring extensive, unviable repairs. Philippa Nibbs, Primark’s director of sales for UK South and South East, confirmed over half of the staff would transfer to nearby stores, with support offered to those leaving.
Banking Branches Also Vanish
The retreat from the high street extends beyond retail. Lloyds Banking Group is closing 34 branches across its Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland brands in January, citing the shift to online banking. The closures comprise 17 Lloyds branches, eight Halifax sites, and nine Bank of Scotland outlets, affecting communities from Penzance to Perth.
This concentrated wave of January closures paints a worrying picture for the future of the British high street, signalling that the sector's restructuring is far from over and that consumer habits continue to evolve at a rapid pace.
