HUNDREDS of high street brands are closing stores for good this year, and a number will shut in May.
Retailers have been feeling the pinch since the pandemic while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to soaring inflation.
A number of high street shops and supermarkets will be closing their doors in MayAlamy
High energy costs and a shift to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The closures come after a number of big retailers disappeared from the high street completely in April.
Stationary shop Paperchase fell into administration in February and shut all of its stores two months later.
Supermarket giant Tesco stepped up to buy the rights to the brand, but not its shops.
M&Co also bought the shutters down on all of its 170 shops on April 22.
Plus, home retailer Argos announced it will close all of its stores in the Republic of Ireland this year.
In May, some well-known retailers will be shutting a handful of branches – we reveal all below.
Iceland
Iceland has already shut the doors on more than half a dozen shops, with more closures on the way.
Several stores closed for good earlier this year, including branches in Bromsgrove, Basingstoke and Rhyl.
Plus, a further three stores in Newport, Berwick and Hexham closed on Saturday (April 22).
Shoppers in Flint, Wales, will lose their store on May 27.
While Iceland has closed a handful of stores this year, the supermarket says it has opened around 200 stores over the last 10 years.
It opened 24 new stores during the last financial year.
B&M
B&M has announced its Bishop Auckland branch will shut on May 5.
In a statement posted to its website, the chain said: “Unfortunately your B&M Bishop Auckland store at 4 Saddler Street will close on Friday 5th May 2023.
“We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this closure.”
B&M has already shut five of its branches this year – and we have put together a full list so you can check if one near you had disappeared.
Banks
Major banks are opting to close local branches as more people make the switch to digital and online banking.
Check to see if your bank will be closing in May.
Barclays
Chislehurst – May 4Leyburn – May 5London (Fleet Street) – May 3Oundle – May 5Radlett – May 5St Helens – May 4Watton – May 3
Halifax
Bletchley – May 18Chingford – May 5Golders Green – May 3Norbury – May 4Putney – May 4Redruth – May 16Sheerness – May 18Surbiton – May 10
HSBC
Arnold – May 9Brecon – May 9Bridport – May 23Brighouse – May 16Coleraine – May 2Didcot – May 9Dover – May 9Dundee – May 30Fakenham – May 23Filton – May 30Gainsborough – May 2Halesowen – May 16Hove – May 23Launceston – May 2Leicester – May 30Liskeard – May 23Market Harborough – May 30Minehead – May 9Stamford – May 16Stourport-On-Severn – May 30Stroud – May 16Waltham Cross – May 30Whitby – May 16Whitley Bay – May 2Wilmslow – May 2Sudbury – May 23
Lloyds Bank
Beeston – May 11Borehamwood – May 22Ipswich – May 4Lampeter – May 15Littlehampton – May 23London – May 3Twickenham – May 11Weybridge – May 10Whitstable – May 11Wickersley – May 15
NatWest closures
Bootle – May 10Broadwater – May 16Colwyn Bay – May 17Cranbrook – May 30Crawley – May 11Dunstable – May 3Exeter – May 9Frome – May 11Ilminster – May 18London (Marylebone) – May 23Maidstone – May 4Sheerness – May 25Torquay – May 31
TSB closures
Kirkwall – May 24Aberfeldy – May 16Newark – May 9Luton – May 30Banbury – May 31Keynsham – May 2Evesham – May 4Glasgow (G53) – May 17Wigan – May 11
Other stores that are closing this year
As well as companies leaving the high street for good, other major retailers have announced they’ll be shutting some of their branches this year too.
Frankie and Benny’s owner The Restaurant Group (TRG) revealed in March that it is considering shutting 35 sites over the next two years.
The Sun has so far spotted three Frankie and Benny’s restaurants listed for sale by estate agents Savills.
In December 2022, pub chain Wetherspoons announced it would be closing a total of 39 pubs after being hit by soaring inflation.
Plus burger chain Byron Burger fell into administration, immediately closing nine of its branches.
Prezzo is to close 46 branches after being hit hard by soaring energy and food costs.
The Italian restaurant chain has said about 810 workers are at risk of redundancy as part of the overhaul.
The four remaining standalone Cath Kidston stores are also set to close after Next agreed to buy it out of administration.
If you want to know more about store closures, you can read our full list of high street chains closing for good this year.
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