
It’s expected to be another tough year for the UK high street, with a number of big-name brands set to close shops. It comes as a result of increasing business costs and a shift in shopping habits.
According to the Centre for Retail Research, 54 retailers collapsed in 2025, resulting in the loss of 3,080 stores and 30,153 employees. Meanwhile, over 500 bank branches closed for good due to an ongoing shift of customer behaviour, with an increasing number of people choosing to bank online or use mobile app services.
As reported by Time Out, a number of high street closures are already confirmed in 2026. These include retailers such as River Island and banks like Lloyds.
Here is the list of announced closures for 2026 so far.
The following Cancer Research UK stores will close this year. However, no specific closing dates have been provided yet.
Claire’s Accesories plunged into administration at the end of last year and stores remain under threat of closure in 2026.
Despite being acquired by investment firm Modella Capital, the chain could not make a successful comeback and is now on the look out for a buyer.
However, if a buyer isn’t found then all 150 stores across the UK could shut.
Like Claire’s, The Original Factory Shop fell into administration in 2025 and was acquired by Modella Capital.
However, it is yet to find a buyer with all 140 UK branches facing closure.
