A fresh wave of closures is sweeping across British high streets, with major names in fashion, sport, grocery and charity retail all shutting branches. The prolonged cost of living crisis has squeezed consumer spending, while rising rents, energy bills and business rates continue to pressure businesses.
British Heart Foundation
The charity has confirmed it will close 150 of its stores across the country. Of those, 87 shops have been confirmed for closure and will have their last day of trading in March 2027. The remaining stores are under review and could follow by March 2028, according to charity bosses. Affected locations include towns such as Armley, Aberdare, Alfreton, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Abingdon, and many others.
Decathlon
The French sporting goods giant shut its Queens Square store in Crawley after more than a decade of trading. The branch held a closing-down sale before closing for good. A notice read: "Thank you for being a loyal customer! You can still find us online at decathlon.co.uk or come see us at our Croydon and Brighton stores."
Charles Clinkard
The independent shoe retailer, founded in 1924, closed its Banbury Road branch in Summertown, Oxford. The reasons behind the closure have yet to be confirmed. Shoppers can still visit branches at the Woolgate Shopping Centre in Witney and on Burford high street. The family-owned business has previously pointed to shifting shopping habits and wider high street pressures.
Morrisons
The supermarket chain is continuing its plan to shut 100 Morrisons Daily stores. One store in Woodley, Berkshire, closed after less than two years of operation. The Stokesley High Street branch in North Yorkshire closed on July 18. That store had traded as a McColl's for decades before being absorbed into the Morrisons estate in 2022. Despite the closures, Morrisons has announced ambitious plans to open 300 new stores elsewhere.
H&M
The Swedish fashion retailer has confirmed it will continue closing stores worldwide after shutting 130 branches in a single year. Its total store count dropped from 4,166 to 4,036. According to its latest six-month report for 2026, further closures are on the horizon. Of the stores already shut, 97 were located across Asia, Oceania and Africa. In Western Europe, 20 stores have closed, with a further 17 shutting across the Nordic countries and four in Eastern Europe.
