Britons have witnessed months of closures since the start of the year as major retailers reduce the number of physical stores.
The long-lasting effects of Covid and soaring energy bills are largely to blame, having driven new shopping habits and expensive fees for companies to contend with.
Boots and Next are among brands that will lose sites in the latest spate of changes to British high streets.
Both retailers will bid farewell to several stores in a matter of days as part of plans to reduce the size of their property portfolios.
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Shoppers could benefit from closure discounts in selected stores
Shoppers may be able to bag a bargain in the days leading up to store closures.
Some products may be discounted to clear the stock, though some could be moved to nearby branches for sale instead.
Boots and Next customers should keep an eye out on their local site to check if it is closing.
Next spokesperson says only five stores will be lost
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, a Next spokesperson claimed that the closures will be counteracted by new sites opening.
They explained: “There’s nothing new in Next closing and opening stores – it has done it every year, for years and years… as leases come to an end, for instance, or stores moved around and the portfolio mix changes.
“The thing to watch is not the total store numbers, but the amount of space that Next trades from. Several smaller stores might be shut – but bigger ones then open to replace them…”
Although 11 will shut down, the net change to store numbers is only five because of six new openings and reconfigurations to physical stores.
Express readers react to the news
Daily Express readers shared their thoughts on the news of Next stores closing, with some blaming steep car parking fees for the loss of 11 sites.
One person who goes by the name “charing” wrote: “Blame the councils! They have bled drivers dry for parking! It has killed the High streets!”
Another named “slr762” agreed: “You can hardly park anywhere in town high streets. No wonder people are using the internet to buy goods. No hassle. No parking tickets.”
Next issues a trading update
A trading update released by the retailer on September 21 read: “We expect to close 11 mainline stores this year.
“Six closures are in locations where we forecast that the store would not achieve our target margin on almost any terms; two closures are due to the site being redeveloped; three further closures are as a result of being unable to agree acceptable new terms with landlords.
“This last category includes one large store where the length of the lease proposed by the landlord, on a high fixed rent charge, was not something we could agree to.”
Next store closures
Fashion and homeware retailer Next will join Boots in closing stores this month.
Almost a dozen branches will cease trading this year for various reasons.
It comes just months after the retailer lost its huge shop inside Westfield Stratford City in London.
Britons react to widespread high street closures
Others took to Twitter to acknowledge the extent of retailers closing high street branches in the UK.
Britons react to Boots closures
Members of the public have taken to social media to react to the news of the pharmacy closures.
Boots stores closing in October
The health and beauty retailer will close seven sites across England this month, including:
Windhill Road, Wakefield – October 6
Upper Warrengate, Wakefield – October 7
Glastonbury – October 13
Uppingham Road, Leicester – October 13
Kings Square, York – October 28
Warminster – October 28
Guildford Road, Woking – end of October
Boots stores closing
Pharmacy giant Boots has confirmed that 300 stores will close their doors across the UK in the coming months.
The closures will reduce the retailer’s store portfolio to just 1,900 from 2,200.
Seven branches will exit highstreets this October with more to follow in the lead-up to Christmas.
Some customers will lose their nearest branch in just days with two stores scheduled to close this week.
Good morning
Good morning from London. I’m Phoebe, I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on UK store closures.
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