River Island and Primark are among the major retailers that have announced store closures in January 2026. Last year, 54 retailers went bankrupt, leading to the closure of 3,080 stores and the loss of 30,153 jobs, as reported by the Centre for Retail Research. Retail sales volumes saw a slight decline of 0.1% in November, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
River Island is set to close a minimum of 27 stores this month as part of a restructuring plan that includes shutting down 33 stores. Locations like Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees have already closed, while branches in Norwich, Norfolk, and Workington, Cumbria are awaiting closure dates.
Poundland will be closing 12 shops in January following a High Court-approved restructuring. The discount retailer had closed 57 stores by September last year after being acquired by investment firm Gordon Brothers for £1.
Primark closed its Dartford store on January 3 due to the urgent need for building repairs, marking its first closure in over a decade. Philippa Nibbs, Primark’s director of sales for UK South and South East, explained that the decision was influenced by the extensive repairs required, making the current location unviable. Lloyds Banking Group will be closing 34 bank branches this month, comprising 17 Lloyds branches, eight Halifax sites, and nine Bank of Scotland branches, citing the increasing shift towards online banking as the reason for the closures.
