January 4 marked the busiest day for store closures this year when five stores pulled down the shutters for the final time. Four more will exit the high street this week, another blow to UK shoppers.
WHSmith
The stationery giant will bid farewell to yet another store in Bournemouth this weekend. On Saturday, January 18, local shoppers will see the branch on Old Christchurch Road close for good.
It is a crushing blow to Bournemouth locals who recently lost the WHSmith branch in Boscombe, which closed its doors for good in June 2024.
Since March 2023, WHSmith has bid farewell to sites in Manchester and Somerset. However, it’s not all bad news, as retail bosses confirmed opening 15 new sites next year, 2026. Rather than taking high street units, fresh WHSmith sites will be targeted in travel hubs like airports and train stations. In a fresh vision for the brand, some sites will even serve hot food and coffee—a slight upgrade from its current meal deal offering.
Monki
Among the four retailers closing shops this week is the H&M-owned fashion chain Monki. The brand has a big online presence with its website and lines sold on ASOS, but its high street existence is being diminished.
The fashion brand announced plans to close two sites in January 2025. One of the shops, located at the Intu shopping centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne, closed on January 2. A second in Manchester’s Arndale Centre will cease trading on Friday, January 17. Parent brand H&M plans to close seven Monki stores as it merges the brand with trendy fashion chain Weekday.
The Body Shop
It’s been almost a year since The Body Shop entered administration, which prompted 800 staff members to be made redundant.
Since then, Aurea Group rescued hundreds of the skincare and beauty retailers sites, with many expected to remain open for the foreseeable.
However, the retailer announced that two stores would close this January on the same day. The double closure will see the Body Shop site in Sheffield’s Orchard Square cease trading on Wednesday, January 15. It comes after 30 years of trade in the city.
A second store on Castle Street, Norwich, will also pull down its shutters for the final time. This comes a staggering 44 years after the site first welcomed shoppers.
Starbucks
Starbucks has a huge presence in the UK, but the iconic coffee shop chain has reduced its store portfolio as of yesterday, Sunday, January 12. Fans of the US-owned brand who frequented the shop on Dumfries High Street will no longer be able to visit the coffee shop.
A second site located in Cineworld, Sixfields Leisure, will follow suit as it prepares to close on Sunday, January 19. This follows the cinema chain’s announcement that it would close several stores. A spokesperson commented on the closure: « We thank our customers for their loyalty over the years and invite them to find their nearest stores in Northampton, Market Square and St James Retail Park. »
