High street hit by fresh wave of closures as River Island and more shut sites
The British high street has taken more blows, as a number of brands have announced closures. From banks closing some of their last few branches to once-popular stationery outlets shutting their doors.
Among those announcing closures is fashion retailer River Island. The popular brand, which has around 200 shops across the nation, is set to close its Sheffield city centre store next month, and has launched a closing-down sale for customers. The branch, located at 15 The Moor, is scheduled to cease operations on September 1 and has slashed prices of selected items by 30% ahead of the closing date.
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Alongside this, the brand's Oxford Street store in Swansea is also due to shut on September 12. These closures come as River Island continues to make changes to its UK estate following its securing of High Court approval for a major restructuring plan in August 2025.
Elsewhere, TGJones has launched a closing-down sale at their branch in Inverness, Scotland, although a closing date is yet to be confirmed. Their branch in Swindon is set to shut on September 14, while another in Southend-on-Sea is set to shut on September 26.
Beloved bakery chain Sayers Bakery, founded in 1912, has announced the closure of 19 of its 91 branches. The brand operates across Merseyside and is extremely popular in the region.
Although they are yet to confirm which branches will be shutting, a spokesperson for parent company Sayers and Poundbakery Limited said: "Following a comprehensive review of our store portfolio, the company has concluded that a number of locations are no longer commercially viable.
"After careful consideration, the senior management has therefore proposed to close 19 underperforming shops at the end of August 2026, which is expected to result in approx 100 redundancies.
"This has come about after a very difficult trading period due to a number of factors, particularly a change in customer shopping habits, which has led to a reduction of people on the high street along with inflation on the cost of running the business, which has been difficult to pass on to customers whilst also maintaining sales volumes."
Meanwhile, the department store Hancock & Wood, located in Warrington, Cheshire, has closed after 112 years in business. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the business said: "For over a century, we've been more than a department store.
"We've been a place where friendships were made, generations returned, and our incredible staff welcomed everyone through the doors with care, kindness and a smile."
The store thanked every member of staff, supplier and customer who has supported the business over the last 112 years. They added: "You have written the story of Hancock & Wood with us, and we will be forever grateful.
"While our doors may close, the memories made within these walls will live on in the hearts of our staff, our customers, and the town we have proudly called home for more than a century. Thank you, Warrington. It has been the greatest privilege."
Lloyds Banking Group has announced upcoming closures of Lloyds, Halifax and Royal Bank of Scotland branches. Alongside this, 200 Halifax sites will become Lloyds branches in 2027 as part of the brand consolidation.
The September closures come after Halifax shuttered 25 branches in June. The bank said decisions on the future of branches are "based on a range of factors, including how customers are choosing to bank and the availability of nearby services".