Edinburgh Princes Street River Island set to close after 'major restructure'
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An Edinburgh Princes Street clothes shop is set to close its doors following a major restructure.
Fashion retailer River Island is shutting 33 of its stores - with bosses blaming rising costs. Five outlets will be closing up across Scotland including Edinburgh Princes Street, Aberdeen Union Square and Glasgow Argyle Street.
Other stores include Glasgow Silverburn and Kilmarnock.
The shops are preparing to close after January 2026 with 71 set for rent reduction discussions.
Chief executive Ben Lewis said: "River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street.
"However the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers' needs.
"The sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden.
"We have a clear strategy to transform the business to ensure its long-term viability. Recent improvements in our fashion offer and in-store shopping experience are already showing very positive results, but it is only with a restructuring plan that we will be able to see this strategy through and secure River Island's future as a profitable retail business.
"We regret any job losses as a result of store closures, and we will try to keep these to a minimum."
This is the full list of 33 stores that will shut:
Aberdeen Union Square
Basildon
Bedford
Beverley
Birmingham Fort
Blackburn
Bolton
Broughton Park
Cannock
Castleford
Chesterfield
Crewe
Derby
Doncaster
Edinburgh Princes Street
Fareham
Gateshead Metrocentre
Glasgow Argyle Street
Glasgow Silverburn
Grimsby
Halifax
Harrow
Huddersfield
Ipswich
Kidderminster
Kilmarnock
Leamington Spa
Loughborough
Luton
Middlesbrough
Peterborough
Southport
Walsall
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