Cancer Research UK, a charity that has been a fixture on British high streets since 1982, has announced the closure of 190 of its shops across the United Kingdom. The organisation cited rising operational costs, inflationary pressures, and shifting consumer behaviour as the primary reasons for the significant reduction in its retail footprint.
Phased Closure Plan
The first wave of closures, comprising 90 shops, is expected to be completed by the end of this month. An additional 100 stores will shut by April 2027 as part of a long-term restructuring plan. The charity first outlined this retail shake-up in October 2025, warning of mounting financial pressures facing its high street operations.
Shops have been selected for closure based on financial performance, lease agreements, and their geographical position within the wider retail network. The charity also noted that declining footfall on Britain's high streets and growing competition from online resale platforms were key factors in the decision.
Shift to Larger Stores
Despite the closures, Cancer Research UK will continue to operate 320 higher-performing shops across Britain. The charity is also expanding its out-of-town retail presence, with plans to open 12 new superstores aimed at shoppers seeking larger, value-focused retail spaces. The restructuring programme is expected to generate an additional £12.4 million for scientific research over the next five years.
Michelle Mitchell, the charity's chief executive, acknowledged the impact the closures would have on staff, volunteers, and local communities. She stated: "Without action, we predict many of our shops will become unprofitable. A smaller, high-performing retail operation will mean we will fund more life-saving cancer research and better serve our customers, staff and volunteers."
Financial Context
In its 2024/25 annual report and accounts, the charity reported spending £403 million on new and ongoing research in the previous year. It remains on track to exceed its commitment to spend at least £1.5 billion on research during the five-year period from 2021/22 to 2025/26. The retail operation has played a critical role in this mission, delivering over £225 million in contribution over the last decade.
Full List of Closing Stores
The following Cancer Research UK shops are scheduled to close: Aberdeen (19 Rosemount Viaduct), Airdrie (5 Bank Street), Armagh (61 Scotch Street), Arundel (8 High Street), Ashbourne (3 Market Place), Ashby (36A-38A Market Street), Aylesbury (28 High Street), Balham (168 Balham High Road), Ballymena (49 Ballymoney Street), Banbury (9 Parsons Street), Barkingside (3/19 High Street), Barnstaple (Gammon Walk), Beeston (52 High Road), Belfast (593 Lisburn Road), Belfast Bloomfield (17 Bloomfield Avenue), Bideford (3 High Street), Biggleswade (24 High Street), Birkenhead (Borough Pavement), Birmingham (245 High Street, Erdington; 67 High Street, Harborne), Bodmin (6 Fore Street), Bognor (1-2 Clock Walk), Bolton (6 Newport Street), Bradford (34-36 Ivegate), Braintree (31 Bank Street), Bramhall (7 Bramhall Lane South), Brentwood (87 High Street), Broadwater (33 Broadwater Street West, Worthing), Bromsgrove (134-136 High Street), Brownhills (45 High Street), Burton On Trent (25 Station Street), Castleford (54D Carlton Street), Cheadle (11 High Street, Staffordshire; 88-90 High Street, Cheshire), Chesham (34 High Street), Chingford (55 Old Church Road), Clapham (83 St Johns Road), Clevedon (1 Station Road), Clydebank (23 Sylvania Way South), Coatbridge (20-22 Main Street), Cotteridge (20 Watford Road, Birmingham), Crewe (10 Market Street), Derby (15 Babington Lane; 826 Osmaston Road, Allenton), Dewsbury (22 Longcauseway), Dudley (258 Castle Street), Dumfries (114-116 Friars Vennel), Dungannon (33 Market Square), East Barnet (276 East Barnet Road), East Dereham (9 High Street), East Ham (154 High Street North), Edinburgh (9-10 Ormiston Terrace, Corstorphine; 11 South Clerk Street), Enniskillen (25 Townhall Street), Epping (197 High Street), Exeter (145 Sidwell Street), Fakenham (26 Market Place), Falkirk (18 Vicar Street), Finaghy (129 Upper Lisburn Road, Belfast), Fort William (8 Tweeddale Buildings, High Street), Fraserburgh (12 Broad Street), Fulham (350 North End Road), Galashiels (55 High Street), Gillingham (90 High Street), Glasgow (420-424 Victoria Road; 269 Sauchiehall Street), Glossop (5 High Street West), Gloucester (12 The Oxbode), Gosport (98 High Street), Gravesend (34 New Road), Greenock (32 West Blackhall Street), Guernsey (37 Le Pollet), Halesowen (79 High Street), Harrogate (24A Oxford Street; 7 Beulah Street), Hazel Grove (129B-C London Road, Stockport), Headington (114 London Road; 79C-81A London Road), Heathfield (Pelham House, High Street), Hemel Hempstead (101 Marlowes), High Wycombe (8 Church Street), Hitchin (16 High Street), Hornchurch (8 Station Lane), Huddersfield (5 Ramsden Street), Inverness (1 Drummond Street), Jersey (56/57 Halkett Place), Kelso (20 Bridge Street), Kenilworth (56-58 Warwick Road), Keswick (24 Main Street), Kettering (26 High Street), Kings Lynn (61 High Street), Lancaster (54-54A Market Street), Leeds (28 L&S Lane), Leek (14 Derby Street), Leicester (2 Horsefair Street), Lincoln (254 High Street), Lisburn (4 Smithfield Square), Louth (20 Market Place), Lowestoft (Unit 1, 112 London Road North), Ludlow (3 Castle Street), Macclesfield (70 Mill Street), Maidenhead (101 High Street), Maidstone (19 Gabriels Hill), Market Drayton (27 High Street), Market Harborough (6 Coventry Road), Melton Mowbray (6 South Parade), Mere Green (280 Lichfield Road, Four Oaks), Merthyr Tydfil (14 Graham Way), Mill Hill (37 The Broadway), Moreton (242 Hoylake Road), Motherwell (75 Brandon Parade South), Musselburgh (102-4 High Street), Neath (Old Market Street), Newark (26 Stodman Street), Newbury (27 Market Place), Newcastle Under Lyme (19 Ironmarket), Newton Abbot (18 Queen Street), Northallerton (140 High Street), Northampton (3 The Parade; 8 Sheep Street), Northwich (19A Witton Street), Northwood (38 Green Lane), Nottingham (7 Friar Lane), Oldham (22 High Street), Otley (4 Kirkgate), Paddock Wood (5 Commercial Road), Paisley (43 Causeyside Street), Palmers Green (353 Green Lanes), Peebles (52 High Street), Penrith (10 Angel Lane), Perth (27 Scott Street), Peterborough (22 Westgate), Peterhead (5 Drummers Corner), Plymouth (73F Mutley Plain), Port Talbot (109 Station Road), Rawtenstall (46 Bank Street), Redditch (4 Market Place), Redruth (71 Fore Street), Retford (25 Carolgate), Ripon (26 Market Place West), Romford (102 South Street), Ross On Wye (11 Market Place), Rotherham (74 Effingham Street), Rothesay (101 Montague Street), Ruislip (87 High Street), Rushden (22 High Street), Scunthorpe (97 High Street), Selby (40A Gowthorpe), Sevenoaks (137 High Street), Sheffield (411 Ecclesall Road), Shipley (22 Market Square), Shrewsbury (9 High Street), Sidmouth (19 Fore Street), Sittingbourne (23 The Forum Shopping Centre), Skipton (91 Caroline Square), Slough (8 Park Street), South Harrow (310 Northolt Road), Southampton (The Broadway, Portswood), Southend On Sea (5 Warrior House, Southchurch Road), Southport (565 Lord Street), Spalding (28 Hall Place), St Ives (6 High Street), Stalybridge (44A Grosvenor Road), Stanmore (24 The Broadway), Stirling (76 Murray Place), Stockport (26 Princes Street), Stoke (44 Devonport Road, Plymouth), Stratford Upon Avon (26 Wood Street), Sudbury (21 Market Hill), Surbiton (26 Victoria Road), Sutton In Ashfield (97 Outram Street), Swansea (19 Union Street), Swindon (28 Havelock Street), Taunton (7 North Street), Tenby (Brecknock House, 4 Tudor Square), Tenterden (17 High Street), Thurso (7 High Street), Tiverton (15 Bampton Street), Truro (4 River Street), Ulverston (4 King Street), Urmston (16 Station Road), Warrington (37 Sankey Street), Welling (26C Bellegrove Road), Welwyn Garden City (20 Howardsgate), West Bromwich (203 High Street), Weymouth (29 St Mary Street), Whitby (70 Baxtergate), Whitton (93 High Street), Wick (36 Bridge Street), Widnes (69-71 Widnes Road), Wigston (6 Bell Street), Wilmslow (21 Water Lane), Wishaw (32 Main Street), Woodbridge (4A The Thoroughfare), Worcester (27A The Cross), Workington (26-32 Murray Road), Yeovil (32 Middle Street).
