MAJOR shops and chains are closing dozens of branches before the end of the month.
Boots is closing five stores, many of which provide community pharmacy services, before the end of 2023.
Budget chain B&M is closing and relocating one of its stores to create a "bigger and better" experience
DIY chain Homebase is closing two stores in November and a third in December.
Cineworld, Clarks, M&S and Tesco are also closing a handful of stores before the end of the year.
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The cost of living crisis, stubbornly high inflation and energy costs are taking their toll on retailers.
Shoppers have been cutting back spending, while the cost of actually running a store has also increased, meaning some outlets have struggled to keep going.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) this summer found the UK had lost 6,000 stores over a five-year period.
Several major brands have also collapsed and closed stores for good.
Here's a full list of some well-known shops and outlets that will be shutting branches before the end of the year.
Boots
Boots is set to close several more stores this month as part of its plan to shut 300 shops over the next year.
The pharmacy chain will be closing the following branches this month:
- Gorleston, Great Yarmouth - November
- High Row, Darlington - November 3
- Mudge Way, Plymouth - November 18
- Mount Pleasant, Exeter - November 18
- Kirkby Ashfield - November 18
- Cambridge Road, Stanstead - January 6
- Margate, Kent - January 20
- Wood Street, Swindon - February 9
- Front Street, Prudhoe - no date
It comes as the retailer looks to consolidate its portfolio of UK outlets from 2,200 to 1,900 in the coming months.
B&M
B&M is closing another shop in weeks but shoppers have been promised "bigger and better".
The bargain retailer is closing its store in Westmorland Retail Park, Cramlington on Saturday, November 4.
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However, the closure forms part of the chain's relocation plans as it is set to open a bigger replacement store just down the road.
The new Cramlington store will be located in Manor Walks Shopping Centre and it will open to shoppers on Saturday, November 11.
Cineworld
Cineworld is closing a much-loved branch within weeks and customers are devastated.
The popular Cineworld branch in Hengrove Leisure Park, South Bristol, is set to be demolished to make way for a housing estate.
To make matters worse for locals, this is also the last standing cinema in the area - and it will be gone forever on November 26.
Trident Retail Park Cineworld in Runcorn is also closing for good on the same date.
Clarks
Clarks has confirmed it'll shut its store located in Newport Retail Park in Spytty for good in November.
A spokesperson for Clarks said: "Clarks confirms its store at the Newport Retail Park, Newport, will close in late 2023.
"We have a strong duty of care to all our employees, and we are working closely with the store team as they now go through a period of consultation.
"Customers can continue to shop from our full range of products online and at our nearby Clarks stores in Cwmbran, Caerphilly, and Cardiff."
It will also shut its branch in High Street in Newcastle under Lyme by the end of 2023.
The Clarks store at the Riverside retail park in Norwich currently has a huge closing down sale with 50% off some items and will close in November, according to local news reports.
It'll also shut in Westwood Cross Shopping Centre in Kent in mid-November.
Here is the full list of closures announced so far:
- Westwood Cross Shopping - mid November
- Newport Retail Park - mid November
- Riverside Retail Park store in Norwich - November
- High Street in Newcastle under Lyme - by end of 2023
Homebase
Homebase has announced the closure of two stores in November and a single branch in December.
The DIY chain will shortly bring the shutters down on its store in Marsh Mills Retail Park in Plymouth.
At the same time, Homebase bosses have confirmed that its store on Southam Road in Banbury will shut next month too.
Homebase is then pulling the plug on its shop at the O2 Centre on Finchley Road in London on December 10.
M&S
Marks and Spencer is set to close another store permanently this month.
The closure is part of dozens expected over the next five years, with more set to take place in the coming months.
The M&S store in the Eagles Meadow Foodhall in Wrexham was among those marked for closure, and now a final trading date has been confirmed.
Shoppers will be able to visit the store for the final time on Thursday, November 30.
The M&S cafe will close on the slightly earlier date of Saturday, November 4.
The news comes after M&S revealed it will permanently shut ten of its stores and relocate to new sites this year.
Tesco
The Mount Plesant Tesco Express in Liverpool will be permanently closing on November 15.
It's a tough blow for students as the shop is located next to Liverpool John Moores University on "Mount Pleasant" campus.
The supermarket giant announced the closure of the store with a sign in the shop window.
All staff currently working at the stores will have the option to be redeployed to other stores in the area.
Wetherspoons
Beloved pub chain Wetherspoons has made a raft of closures this year in a devastating blow for fans.
Wetherspoons has closed 34 pubs in the last 18 months and has plans to close dozens more.
Wetherspoons currently has 27 pubs up for sale - 17 are still available while ten are under offer.
The 17 Wetherspoons that are currently up for sale and at risk of closing are:
- The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
- The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
- Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
- The Gate House, Doncaster
- The Market Cross, Holywell
- The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
- The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
- The Hain Line, St Ives
- The Sir Norman Rae, Shipley
- The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
- The White Hart, Todmorden
- Jolly Sailor, Hanham
- Resolution, Middlesbrough
- The Rising Sun, Redditch
- Sennockian, Sevenoaks
- Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham
- Plough & Harrow, Hammersmith
Ten of the following pubs are under offer too:
- The Butlers Bell, Stafford
- Wrong ‘Un, Bexleyheath
- The Percy Shaw, Halifax
- The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
- Foxley Hatch, Purley
- The Cross Keys, Peebles
- General Sir Redvers Buller, Crediton
- Asparagus, Battersea
- Millers Well, East Ham
- Coronet, London
What about store openings?
While a raft of stores are set to close, shoppers have reason to be cheerful as other retailers are actually expanding this year.
The Sun recently revealed discount retailer Costco is expanding in the UK and is planning to open 14 more warehouses over the next two years.
Bonmarche is opening at least seven new stores after filing for administration in 2019, while The White Company is due to open new stores in October and November.
Once-huge bakery chain Patisserie Valerie, which also collapsed into administration and closed most of its stores, has started reopening branches, as revealed by the Sun.
We also recently revealed bakeries Wenzels, Greggs, Dunkin' Donuts and The Cornish Bakery are all in the process of expanding in the UK.