River Island has confirmed the closure of its Sheffield city centre store, with a closing-down sale now underway. The branch at 15 The Moor will cease operations on September 1, and selected items have been reduced by 30% ahead of the closure.
Store history and relocation
The chain has operated from The Moor since 2009, having previously traded from Sheffield’s Fargate. According to Retail Gazette, a notice in the shop window thanks customers for their custom and directs them to River Island's website and the nearby Meadowhall branch once the store closes.
Restructuring and further closures
This closure follows River Island securing High Court approval for a major restructuring plan in August 2025. The plans initially involved closing 33 stores and securing rent reductions across a further 71 locations. Oxford, Poole, Perth, Grimsby, Hereford, and Sutton Coldfield were among those impacted.
More closures have been confirmed alongside the Sheffield shop. The Oxford Street store in Swansea is due to shut on September 12 and has also launched a closing-down sale with discounts of up to 30%. The Swansea branch had initially been among those where reduced rents were sought rather than outright closure.
Rescue plan and CEO statement
River Island’s rescue plan was approved after the retailer warned it could face insolvency without action to reduce property costs and restructure the business. Chief executive Ben Lewis said the approval gave River Island a “strong platform” to deliver its transformation strategy and better align its store estate with changing customer habits.
