Fashion retailer River Island is embarking on a significant wave of store closures across the United Kingdom, with its branch in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, among the first to shut its doors permanently this week.
Wave of Closures Begins
The Sutton Coldfield store will close for the final time on Sunday, January 18. It is part of a broader restructuring plan sanctioned by the High Court, which involves the closure of dozens of branches nationwide. This month alone, a total of 33 River Island locations are scheduled to shut down.
This follows four closures that took place at the end of 2025 in Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Stockton-on-Tees, and Great Yarmouth. The company is now actively implementing the next phase of its strategy.
Full List of January Closures
The Sutton Coldfield branch is not closing in isolation. Eight other stores are also set to cease trading on January 18. The full list of locations closing on that date includes:
- Aylesbury
- Burton upon Trent
- Leeds Birstall Park
- Lisburn
- Perth
- Surrey Quays
- Taunton
- Wrexham
Further closures are scheduled for later in the month, with shops shutting on January 24, January 26, and January 31. The comprehensive list of affected stores is as follows:
- Altrincham, Manchester – Jan 26
- Bangor Bloomfield, Northern Ireland – Jan 24
- Barnstaple, Devon – Jan 31
- Beckton, Greater London – Jan 31
- Cumbernauld, Scotland – Jan 24
- Didcot, Oxfordshire – Jan 31
- Falkirk, Scotland – Jan 31
- Gloucester, Gloucestershire – Jan 31
- Grimsby, Lincolnshire – Jan 31
- Hanley, Staffordshire – Jan 24
- Hartlepool, County Durham – Jan 24
- Hereford, Herefordshire – Jan 31
- Kilmarnock, Scotland – Jan 24
- Kirkcaldy, Scotland – Jan 31
- Northwich, Cheshire – Jan 24
- Norwich, Norfolk – TBC
- Oxford, Oxfordshire – Jan 31
- Poole, Dorset – Jan 31
- Rochdale, Greater Manchester – Jan 31
- St Helens, Merseyside – Jan 24
- Workington, Cumbria – TBC
Restructuring Plan Aims to Save Jobs
The closures are a key component of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) restructuring plan approved by the High Court. Since the court's confirmation, River Island has been in negotiations with landlords to secure rent reductions for its remaining portfolio.
The primary objective of this difficult restructuring is to ensure the long-term viability of the business. It is estimated that the plan could safeguard more than 140 other branches and protect thousands of jobs across the British high street. The company hopes that by addressing its cost base through these store closures and revised rental agreements, it can prevent further shutdowns in the future.
The move highlights the continued pressures facing physical retailers, even well-established brands like River Island, as they adapt to changing consumer habits and economic conditions.
