The new year has brought no respite for Britain's beleaguered high streets, with a fresh wave of store closures set to hit towns and cities across the country this January. Major fashion and retail chains are proceeding with planned shutdowns, impacting dozens of communities.
Major Retailers Announce January Shutdowns
This follows a devastating year for the retail sector in 2025. Research from the Centre for Retail Research indicates that 54 retailers ceased trading entirely last year, leading to the loss of 3,080 stores and more than 30,000 jobs. The trend is continuing into 2026, with household names like River Island, Poundland, Primark, and banking groups Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland all confirming closures in the coming weeks.
River Island's Restructuring Plan
Fashion chain River Island is closing at least 27 branches this month as part of a wider restructuring plan that will see 33 shops shut overall. The closures are spread nationwide, with specific dates confirmed for numerous locations.
Confirmed River Island closures in January 2026 include:
- Aylesbury – January 18
- Bangor Bloomfield – January 24
- Barnstaple – January 31
- Beckton – January 31
- Burton upon Trent – January 18
- Cumbernauld – January 24
- Didcot – January 31
- Falkirk – January 31
- Gloucester – January 31
- Grimsby – January 31
Further closures are scheduled for Hanley, Hartlepool, Hereford, Kilmarnock, Kirkcaldy, Leeds Birstall Park, Lisburn, Northwich, Oxford, Perth, Poole, Rochdale, St Helens, Surrey Quays, Sutton Coldfield, Taunton, and Wrexham throughout the month. The final dates for Norwich and Workington branches are still to be confirmed.
Poundland and Primark Follow Suit
Discount retailer Poundland, which shut several stores in 2025, is closing 12 more locations in January. These include shops in Bexhill, Ponders End, Kilmarnock, Faversham, Mitcham, Liverpool, Yeovil, Cameron Toll in Edinburgh, Nottingham Eastpoint, Lymington, Christchurch, and Bristol Avon Meads, with specific closure dates spread across the month.
In a significant move, fashion giant Primark closed its Dartford branch on January 3, 2026. This marks the chain's first store closure in over a decade. The decision was attributed to the extensive building repairs required. Philippa Nibbs, Primark’s director of sales for UK South and South East, stated that the proximity of two other Primark stores made the repairs unviable. The company confirmed that more than half of the affected staff will transfer to nearby stores, with support offered to those leaving.
Banking Branches Also Axed
The retreat from the high street extends to banking, with Lloyds Banking Group closing 34 branches in January. This includes 17 Lloyds branches, eight Halifax sites, and nine Bank of Scotland locations.
Key Lloyds closures include Alfreton (Jan 1), Ammanford (Jan 12), Bideford (Jan 13), Chester-le-Street (Jan 14), and Fleet (Jan 13). Halifax will shut branches in Deal, Hastings, Havant, Middleton, Seaford, Skipton, Wandsworth, and Yeovil. Bank of Scotland closures affect Bellshill, Castle Douglas, Erskine, Gairloch, Glasgow, Larkhall, Nairn, St Andrews, and Tain.
This concentrated spate of high street closures underscores the ongoing challenges facing physical retail and customer banking. It represents a continued shift in how consumers shop and manage their finances, leaving many communities to adapt to changing high street landscapes.
