High Street fashion retailer River Island has confirmed it will close 32 of its UK stores in January 2026, as part of a major restructuring plan designed to secure the company's future.
Restructuring Plan and Store Closures
The struggling chain, which operates over 200 branches across the UK and Ireland, will shut the doors of 32 locations in the first month of 2026. Fifteen of these stores now have confirmed closure dates, with the remainder to follow throughout the month.
Alongside the closures, the company has secured a rescue deal approved by a High Court Judge in August 2025. This plan involves reduced rent payments on 71 other outlets for a three-year period and will see a large portion of the company's debt wiped out. The aim is to avoid administration and ensure the long-term viability of the business.
Matthew Weaver KC, representing River Island, explained to the court that the retailer had been unable to reverse its financial difficulties. He cited declining footfall and sales due to a highly competitive retail environment and the shift to online shopping as key factors. He also mentioned that geopolitical events had caused ongoing supply chain disruption, contributing to an unsustainable cost base.
CEO's Statement and Future Strategy
River Island's chief executive, Ben Lewis, stated that the decision provides a "strong platform" to deliver the company's transformation strategy. "We have a clear transformation strategy to ensure the long-term viability of the business," Lewis said earlier this year.
He added, "Recent improvements in our fashion offer and shopping experience are starting to show results, and the restructuring plan will enable us to align our store estate to our customers' needs. We are grateful to our suppliers, landlords and other stakeholders for their constructive engagement and shared confidence in River Island's future."
No stores in Ireland are affected by the closures, and 122 UK branches will continue to trade as normal. The company, founded in 1948 and rebranded in the 1980s, employs around 5,500 people.
Full List of Closing Stores and Dates
Shoppers can expect clearance sales at several of the affected locations, though specific sale start dates have not yet been announced. The following is the full list of River Island shops scheduled to close in January 2026.
Stores with confirmed closure dates:
- Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – January 18
- Brighton, East Sussex – January 18
- Burton-Upon-Trent, Derbyshire – January 18
- Surrey Quays, Greater London – January 18
- Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire – January 18
- Wrexham, Wales – January 18
- Hartlepool, County Durham – January 24
- Northwich, Cheshire – January 24
- St Helens, Merseyside – January 24
- Barnstaple, Devon – January 31
- Didcot, Oxfordshire – January 31
- Gloucester, Gloucestershire – January 31
- Grimsby, Lincolnshire – January 31
- Hereford, Herefordshire – January 31
- Poole, Dorset – January 31
Stores closing in January (date to be confirmed):
- Bangor Bloomfield, Northern Ireland
- Beckton, Greater London
- Cumbernauld, Scotland
- Edinburgh Princes Street, Scotland
- Falkirk, Scotland
- Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
- Hanley, Staffordshire
- Kilmarnock, Scotland
- Kirkcaldy, Scotland
- Leeds Birstall Park, West Yorkshire
- Lisburn, Northern Ireland
- Norwich, Norfolk
- Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Perth, Scotland
- Rochdale, Greater Manchester
- Taunton, Somerset
- Workington, Cumbria
