Major coffee shop chain with over 1,000 venues across the UK suddenly closes branch with hastily-stuck sign on its door
Scroll down to find out why retailers are closing stores
SHUT UP SHOP Major coffee shop chain with over 1,000 venues across the UK suddenly closes branch with hastily-stuck sign on its door
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A HUGE coffee chain with more than 1,300 UK branches has shuttered one of its high street shops.
Starbucks abruptly pulled the plug on its coffee house in Headington, Oxford.
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Starbucks has pulled down the shutters on its store in Headington
Credit: Google maps
The location on the town's London Road notified punters that the "shop is now closed" on a store window sign.
The coffee giant first waved in customers in October 2007.
It is unknown why Starbucks decided to close down the location.
Starbucks now has two remaining locations in Oxford, according to its website, which are located on Cornmarket Street and Westgate Shopping Centre.
The Sun Online has reached out to Starbucks for comment.
In April last year, Starbucks announced the closure of one of its Reading cafes, leaving some shoppers "shocked".
And in March 2024, locals were saddened to hear their Dalton Park store, in Murton, Country Durham, would be closing down in hours.
RETAIL APOCALYPSE
Both independent and industry giants have been struggling with rising costs and reduced footfall over the past few years.
Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets.
Just a few months into 2025 and it's already proving to be another tough year for many major brands.
Rising living costs - which mean shoppers have less cash to burn - and an increase in online shopping has battered retail in recent years.
Shock Closure: Fisher Tours Ends Operations After 22 Years
In some cases, landlords are either unwilling or unable to invest in keeping shops open, further speeding up the closures.
Smiggle isn't the only stationary shop shutting its doors, more WHSmiths stores are set to close in the next few months.
The huge sports retailer, Sports Direct is axed its Newmarket Road store in Cambridge on April 18.
Whilst, Red Menswear in Chatham in Medway, Kent, shut for the final time on Saturday, March 29, after selling men's clothing since 1999.
A couple months ago, Essential Vintage told followers on social that it would be closing down after they had been "priced out" because of bigger players in the market such as Vinted.
Jewellery brand Beaverbrooks is also shutting three shops early this month.
New Look bosses made the decision to axe nearly 100 branches as they battle challenges linked to Autumn Budget tax changes.
Approximately a quarter of the retailer's 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.
This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on New Look's 8,000-strong workforce.
It's understood the latest drive to accelerate closures is driven by the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers.
The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is hitting retailers hard - and the British Retail Consortium has predicted these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector.
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