Major fashion retailer closing stores within DAYS – is yours on the list?
A BIG fashion retailer will close its stores within a few days of a series of closures.
New Look will close three of its stores from July 30 through the end of August.
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Its branch in Riverside Mall, Evesham, will close tomorrow, Worcester news report.
Meanwhile, its store at Kings Chase Shopping Centre, Bristol, will close on August 9.
Its branch at Crossgates Shopping Centre, Leeds, will pull its shutters for the last time at the end of August.
The exact date this branch will close is yet to be confirmed.
A New Look spokesperson said: “As part of the normal course of business, New Look from time to time closes stores, moves and opens new locations from time to time.
“Although some locations have closed recently, we’ve opened several new stores this year and we’re still looking for relevant new opportunities across the country.”
It comes after the fashion retailer closed some of its stores in 2023. They are:
- Birmingham, Fort Shopping Park – 9 January
- Trowbridge – January 23
- Coventry – January 29
- Birmingham, Bull Arena – January 30
- Walthamstow, London – February 4
- Northampton – February 15
- Witham – May 18
- Teesside Retail Park – July 7
- Bangor, Wales – June 16
- Middlesbrough – July 8
- White Rose Center, Rhyl, Wales – July 25
- Fosse Park Shopping Centre, Leicester – July 25
But New Look is opening stores as well as closing.
It opened several stores across the UK in November 2022 and plans to open more this year.
It is not yet known how many stores will open and where they will be in the UK.
In 2018, the fashion retailer sought approval from creditors to cut 1,600 employees and close more than 85 stores after underperforming and struggling to repay loans.
The company has marked 60 of its 593 stores for closure as well as six locations to be leased out.
The Company’s Voluntary Agreement proposal also includes reducing rental costs and amending lease terms across 393 stores.
It has seen 980 of its 15,3000 UK workforce redundant.
Then in 2018, 25 more stores were announced to close.
What other retailers are closing stores?
Retailers have struggled for years due to the growing popularity of online shopping and declining customer numbers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, high inflation means consumers have less money to spend on daily necessities.
That, combined with rising staff and energy costs, means many businesses are feeling the pinch.
Boots is one of the retailers that has been hit hard. It has announced that it will permanently close 300 stores.
Meanwhile, B&M’s store in Kiln Lane, Reading, will close on August 19.
However, the retailer will open a “bigger and better” store at Brunel Retail Park on August 26.
B&M will also temporarily close its Glasgow Forge store on August 20.
The store is closed for renovation and expansion work.
The new store will then reopen to customers at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, August 26.
It’s not all bad news, though, as the discount chain has opened several new stores this year. Here’s where and when they open:
- Armagh – May 5
- Widnes Commercial Park – May 24
- Fforestfach (Swansea) – May 26
- Jarrow – May 27
- Fazakerley – May 31
Argos has closed dozens of stores since last year.
However, it also opened 25 branches inside Sainsbury’s stores at the same time.
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