Clothing store River Island is closing 33 stores next month. The closures will happen by the end of January 2026. This is part of a major plan to change the business. The company announced this plan earlier in the year.
The stores are spread across the UK and Ireland. The list includes shops in big cities. Some locations closing are in Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford, Brighton, and Perth.
Why Are Stores Closing?
River Island has been losing money. Last year, the company reported a loss of £32.3 million. Its total sales fell by 15% to £578.1 million. The company said high street shopping has changed.
More people are now shopping online. This means fewer people visit physical stores. The cost of running stores has also gone up a lot. River Island said it has too many stores for today’s market.
The company’s rescue plan was approved in court this summer. As part of the plan, River Island will also reduce rent payments at 71 other stores. This will help those locations stay open.
What Has the Company Said?
Ben Lewis is the Chief Executive of River Island. He said the company is a loved brand with a long history. But the move from high street to online shopping has been a big challenge.
He said, “We have a clear strategy to transform the business.” He added that recent changes to fashion and stores are working well. But the restructuring plan is needed for the future.
Lewis said the company regrets any job losses. They will try to keep job losses to a minimum.
Full List of River Island Stores Closing in January 2026:
Here is the complete list of stores shutting down next month:
-
Beckton
-
Bangor Bloomfield
-
Wrexham
-
Edinburgh Princes Street
-
Hereford
-
Surrey Quays
-
Didcot
-
Sutton Coldfield
-
Aylesbury
-
Burton-Upon-Trent
-
Northwich
-
Taunton
-
Workington
-
Falkirk
-
Cumbernauld
-
Kirkcaldy
-
Gloucester
-
Hartlepool
-
Brighton
-
Lisburn
-
Norwich
-
Oxford
-
Poole
-
Kilmarnock
-
Hanley
-
Barnstaple
-
Grimsby
-
Leeds Birstall Park
-
Rochdale
-
Great Yarmouth
-
St Helens
-
Stockton On Tees
-
Perth
The company has already closed some other stores this year. Those were in Chesterfield, Corby, and Omagh. Those closures were separate from this new list.