All the New Look stores shut so far after huge closing down sales and ones still to close
NEW LOOK will close two more stores in a matter of weeks after making cuts to it's store estate.
The British high street staple is set to close a branch in Hamilton, Scotland on Tuesday, July 1.
The news was shared on social media with upset locals describing the move as the "end of an era".
While another shopper cried: "Aw I'm gutted to see it go! Spent a good 10 years in there over the years."
A New Look spokesperson said: 'Our store in Hamilton is set close on July 1. We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years.
"We hope customers continue to shop with us online at newlook.com, where our full product ranges can be found.'
The popular fashion retailer is also set to close down a branch in Neath, Wales on August 6.
One punter blamed online shopping for the closure, claiming it has "killed the high street".
While another resident said they "couldn't believe it".
New Look has previously warned it would shut nearly 100 stores ahead of National Insurance hikes which came into place in April.
Approximately a quarter of the retailer's 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.
The brand already closed a site in Birmingham on June 8 and another store in Devizes, Wiltshire closed a few weeks back.
You can check out the full list of New Look closures here:
Beloved high street chain with 24 Irish locations confirms Dublin city centre store closing down in 10 days in huge blow
New Look, Neath, Wales – closing August 6
New Look, Hamilton, Scotland – closing July 1
New Look, Birmingham, Northfield shopping centre – closed June 8
New Look, Willow Place, Corby – closed June 1
New Look, Valley Retail World in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear – closed March 9
St Austell branch in Cornwall – closed March 4
New Look, Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales – closed February 22
New Look, Wickford, Essex – closed January 24
New Look, Devizes, Wiltshire – closed
In February, New Look also exited the Republic of Ireland which resulted in the closure of 26 stores.
At the time, the company said: "New Look's Irish operation has struggled for some years, impacted by a range of factors including supply-chain and in-market costs, and squeezed consumer spending".
MORE RETAIL TROUBLE
New Look is not the only fashion brand facing a hard time.
River Island revealed plans to shut 33 of its 230 stores, pending approval.
A further 70 stores are also at risk, with its future depending on agreements being reached with landlords to cut rent agreements.
Elsehwere, Claire's is mulling a sale of the business leaving question marks over the future of nearly 300 stores in the UK.
The potential sale is understood to include stores across North American and Europe.
Claire's has 2,000 stores in total across both regions, with 281 stores in the UK.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025."
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
"By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
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