Poundland, River Island and 3 other major high street brands confirm store closures in 2026 — full list

Britain's high streets have endured a challenging period in recent years. As consumers increasingly turn to online shopping, numerous well-known retail names have collapsed into administration, forcing many outlets to shut.

Throughout 2024, over 13,000 high street stores closed their doors, according to figures from the Centre for Retail Research.

Whilst official data for 2025 is not currently available, it's thought that the number of closures exceeded even that figure.

• Five iconic UK retailers enter administration within 2 months of 2026 — full list
• James Van Der Beek death 'didn't need to happen', says doctor

Regrettably, the nation's high streets face another difficult year ahead, with further shop closures already confirmed for 2026. Below are the five major retailers verified to be shutting branches throughout 2026.

1. Poundland

Poundland has already shuttered countless outlets nationwide as part of its restructuring programme, and a further 32 stores are due to close during the opening months of 2026, bringing total closures to 100.

The beloved discount chain was sold for merely £1 last year by investment firm Gordon Brothers, which formerly owned Laura Ashley.

Affected branches are currently running clearance sales, with reductions reaching up to 40%.

Full list of Poundland stores set to close in 2026

• Lancaster, Lancashire

• Northampton Sixfields, Northamptonshire

• Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset

• Hammersmith, Greater London

• Prestatyn, Denbighshire

• Faversham, Kent

• Liverpool, Merseyside

• Yeovil, Somerset

• Nottingham Eastpoint, Nottinghamshire

• Lymington, Hampshire

• Christchurch (47 High Street), Dorset

• Bristol Avon Meads, Bristol

• Winton, Dorset

• Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland

• Christchurch (Meteor Retail Park), Dorset

• Arnold, Nottinghamshire

• Worthing, West Sussex

• Droitwich, Worcestershire

• Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

• Oldham, Greater Manchester

• Weston Favell, Northamptonshire

• Portishead, Somerset

• Grantham, Lincolnshire

• Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland

• Farnham, Surrey

• Brighton, East Sussex

• Hempstead Valley, Kent

• Bexhill, East Sussex

• Ponders End, Greater London

• Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland

• Mitcham, Greater London

• Cameron Toll, Edinburgh, Scotland

2. Schuh

Popular footwear chain Schuh at The Broadway Shopping Centre in Bradford has permanently shut. A spokesperson from The Broadway confirmed the closure and revealed that fresh retailers will be unveiled shortly.

Schuh launched its debut store in Edinburgh in 1981 and presently runs over 120 branches across the UK and Ireland. A Schuh spokesperson commented: "The UK retail sector is undergoing rapid transformation, shaped by shifting consumer behaviours and in response, Schuh is evolving to strengthen its position for the future.

"Schuh is making strategic decisions to adapt, including the necessary closure of a number of underperforming stores, among them our Bradford store in The Broadway Shopping Centre."

3. House of Fraser

Closure notices have been spotted in the windows of its Plymouth outlet, signalling trading will end in March 2026, leaving the renowned department store with merely 11 locations nationwide.

The outlet was set to shut in 2018 following House of Fraser's collapse into administration; however, it was rescued when Sports Direct acquired the chain for £90 million.

Heartbroken shoppers have flocked to social media to voice their disappointment, with one patron posting: "There goes the only decent department stores we had left and one of the best baby changing stations! Genuinely gutted."

Another commented: "So many happy memories from my childhood and teenage years in this store - would come here with my much-loved family who are all now gone - sad times."

4. River Island

River Island announced the closure of 32 outlets last month. This move forms part of a restructuring plan designed to address ongoing financial difficulties, as the fashion retailer has recorded a £33.2 million loss in 2023 following a 19% drop in sales.

The closures are attributed to rising store maintenance costs and the growth of online shopping.

River Island operates more than 200 branches across the UK, with around 5,500 staff members, many of whose jobs are now under threat.

Full list of River Island stores set to close in 2026

• Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

• Bangor Bloomfield, Northern Ireland

• Barnstaple, Devon

• Beckton, Greater London

• Brighton, East Sussex

• Burton-Upon-Trent, Derbyshir

• Cumbernauld, Scotland

• Didcot, Oxfordshire

• Edinburgh Princes Street, Scotland

• Falkirk, Scotland

• Gloucester, Gloucestershire

• Great Yarmouth

• Grimsby, Lincolnshire

• Hanley, Staffordshire

• Hartlepool, County Durham

• Hereford, Herefordshire

• Kilmarnock, Scotland

• Kirkcaldy, Scotland

• Leeds Birstall Park, West Yorkshire

• Lisburn, Northern Ireland

• Northwich, Cheshire

• Norwich, Norfolk

• Oxford, Oxfordshire

• Perth, Scotland

• Poole, Dorset

• Rochdale, Greater Manchester

• St Helens, Merseyside

• Surrey Quays, Greater London

• Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire

• Taunton, Somerset

• Workington, Cumbria

• Wrexham, Wales

5. Shoe Zone

Footwear retailer Shoe Zone has announced the closure of its Salisbury location following Labour's tax increases in the Government's Budget.

Black and yellow closing-down notices have now been displayed in the shop windows.

The Salisbury branch is scheduled to close between April and June.