Several high street brands have announced upcoming closures, adding to the challenges faced by the retail sector this year. Among them are banks, iconic brands and family-owned businesses, with doors set to shut in the coming weeks and months.
Typo to close all UK stores
The Australian stationery and gifting brand Typo will close its remaining 13 UK stores. Cotton On Group, which owns the brand, confirmed its withdrawal from the UK market. A spokesperson said: "After careful consideration, we are closing Typo’s operations in the United Kingdom, with all stores and online trading to close by early 2027. We recognise the impact of this decision on our Typo UK team who are already aware of this, and our priority is to support our people through this transition."
The spokesperson added: "Despite the efforts of our teams, ongoing high rent and operating costs, combined with softer sales, mean there is no sustainable path today for Typo in the UK."
HMV to close flagship Oxford Street store
HMV has revealed plans to close its flagship Oxford Street store just three years after reopening the site, blaming a doubling in rent demands. The brand was previously forced to close the store in 2019 after falling into administration before reopening four years later in 2023. However, the doors to the huge shop will now be shutting once again.
HMV Managing Director Phil Halliday said: "This is a special store, it’s where we began 100 years ago and bringing it back to life in 2023 was a big moment in our recent history. It’s frustrating that it has been made commercially unviable. However, we are looking ahead, and our focus is now on what we do to make exciting steps for HMV in 2027."
Regional closures: Pep&Co, M&S and Kam & Co
In Scotland, discount fashion chain Pep&Co has announced the closure of its Glenrothes branch. The shop will close its doors for good after 11 years on October 22.
Another regional closure will affect customers in Hampshire, with Marks & Spencer announcing the closure of the M&S Simply Food branch in Alton. The branch is set to close its doors in January, when the current lease comes to an end.
Elsewhere, Kam & Co, a family-run shop in Basildon that has served customers since 1985, offering martial arts clothing and accessories, oriental foods and furniture, will be closing down for good. The shop is set to close its doors for good at the end of this month, with a closing-down celebration on October 24.
A spokesperson from the shop said: "After 41 years we are closing our beloved shop Kam & Co here in Eastgate. My mum and dad, aka Rose and Kam, opened this shop in 1985 when Eastgate first opened and have been here ever since selling martial arts goods and Asian groceries to the community. We've watched our loyal customers grow as we grew and made so many friends along the way and now, sadly, it's our turn to leave as running a business certainly gets harder as you get older. It is such an achievement that we have survived so long and is a testament to our customers and how important in-person retail shopping is to the community."
Lloyds Bank continues branch closures
Lloyds Bank is set to continue closing branches, after already shutting 17 stores this month. The remaining closures this month include: Gateshead Jackson House, 24–26 Jackson Street – October 19; Devizes 38 Market Place – October 21; Widnes 23–24 Albert Square – October 21; Chesterfield 30 Rose Hill – October 22; Nottingham – Arnold 76 Front Street – October 27; Llandudno 22 Mostyn Street – October 28; Braintree 2–4 Bank Street – October 29; Buxton Spring Gardens – October 13; and Leamington Spa – October 20.
