River Island and Primark are among the major retailers that have revealed plans to close stores in January 2026. A report by the Centre for Retail Research showed that 54 retailers went out of business last year, resulting in the closure of 3,080 stores and impacting 30,153 employees. The Office for National Statistics reported a slight decline of 0.1% in retail sales volumes for November.
River Island is set to shut down at least 27 stores this month as part of a restructuring effort that previously included the closure of 33 stores. Branches in locations such as Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees have already ceased operations, while stores in Norwich, Norfolk, and Workington, Cumbria are awaiting closure dates.
Poundland is also implementing a restructuring plan and will close 12 stores in January after closing 57 stores by the end of September last year. The closure comes after the company was acquired by investment firm Gordon Brothers for a nominal fee.
Primark recently closed its Dartford store due to the urgent need for building repairs. This closure marks the first for the high street fashion chain in over a decade. Lloyds Banking Group, including Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, will shut down a total of 34 bank branches this month, citing the increasing trend of online banking as the reason for the closures.
The affected banks aim to streamline operations in response to changing consumer behavior. The closures will impact 17 Lloyds branches, eight Halifax sites, and nine Bank of Scotland branches. Efforts are being made to support affected employees through this transition.