River Island and Primark are among the major retailers that have revealed plans to close some of their stores in January 2026. Last year, 54 retailers went out of business, leading to the closure of 3,080 stores and affecting 30,153 employees, as reported by the Centre for Retail Research. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicates a slight decrease of 0.1% in retail sales volumes for November.
River Island is set to shut down at least 27 stores this month as part of its restructuring efforts, after previously announcing the closure of 33 stores. Some of the closed branches include locations in Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees. Additional stores in Norwich, Norfolk, and Workington, Cumbria are also on the closure list, with specific closure dates pending confirmation.
Poundland is undergoing a restructure and will close 12 stores in January following approval from the High Court. The discount retailer had already closed 57 stores by September last year after being acquired by investment firm Gordon Brothers for £1.
Primark recently closed its Dartford store due to significant building repair needs, marking its first closure in over a decade. Philippa Nibbs, Primark’s director of sales for UK South and South East, stated that the decision was influenced by the extensive repairs required and the presence of nearby Primark stores. Despite the closure, over half of the affected employees will transition to roles in neighboring stores, with support provided to those leaving the company.
Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, part of Lloyds Banking Group, are collectively closing 34 bank branches this month, including 17 Lloyds branches, eight Halifax locations, and nine Bank of Scotland branches. The closures are attributed to the increasing popularity of online banking, according to Lloyds.