High street fashion retailer River Island is set to close nine of its stores for the final time this Sunday, marking the start of a rapid wave of closures this month. The chain, a fixture on British shopping streets since 1988, is implementing a major restructuring plan approved by the High Court last year to avoid collapse into administration.
The Scale of the Shutdown
This initial batch of closures on Sunday, 18 January 2026, will see stores in Aylesbury, Burton upon Trent, Leeds Birstall Park, Lisburn, Perth, Surrey Quays, Sutton Coldfield, Taunton, and Wrexham shut their doors permanently. Further closures are scheduled for 24 January, 26 January, and 31 January 2026, bringing the total number of stores closing this month to 27. The company has not confirmed if closing-down sales will be held.
The closures form part of a wider rescue strategy that will see River Island shut 33 stores in total and pay reduced rents on another 71 outlets. Landlords have been asked to accept lower rents for three years, with payments potentially stopping entirely on some sites, in a bid to stem the retailer's heavy losses.
Financial Pressures Mount
The drastic measures follow severe financial difficulties. The business posted a pre-tax loss of £32.3 million last year, with turnover slumping by 15% to £578.1 million. In court hearings, Matthew Weaver KC, representing River Island, stated the company had been unable to reverse its financial decline.
Chief Executive Ben Lewis cited the "well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online" as a key factor, leaving the business with a store portfolio no longer aligned to customer habits. He also pointed to the "sharp rise in the cost of doing business" over recent years.
Impact on Jobs and the High Street
River Island employs more than 5,000 people across the UK. The company has stated it regrets any job losses and will try to keep them to a minimum, with staff being redeployed where possible. However, the closure of 27 stores across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland represents another significant blow to high streets already under immense pressure.
In a statement, Ben Lewis emphasised the company's transformation strategy, citing recent improvements in fashion offerings and in-store experience. He argued that the restructuring plan was essential to secure River Island's future as a profitable business. The retailer currently operates over 200 shops nationwide, with additional sites still under review.
