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Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major fashion retailer with 20 UK shops suddenly closes Glasgow store
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR fashion retailer with 20 branches across the UK has announced the shock closure of one of its Scottish shops. Gant is a popular American company that sells luxury clothes for men, women and children. 2 Gant's branch in Glasgow city centre has closed for good Credit: GOOGLE MAPS 2 Signs have now appeared on the shop windows (stock pic) Credit: Getty The brand, founded in 1949, first began as a shirt maker, but over time, it evolved into a premium American sportswear brand. And it now sells a stylish range of clothing, accessories and footwear. However, bosses have revealed that one of its Scottish branches has now officially closed. The retailer's branch in Glasgow pulled the shutters down for the final time with no warning. Signs appeared on the windows of the store in the city centre informing customers of its sudden closure. Large posters on the windows and the shopfront read: "We are now closed." The reason for the shock closure is currently unknown. The store is located on Ingram Street, close to the Gallery of Modern Art, and first opened five years ago, back in May 2019. There are currently 19 Gant stores across the UK, not including the branch in Glasgow that recently closed. Why are retailers closing stores? Retailers have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis. End of an Era: Aldo's Iconic Chip Shop Closes After 30 Years High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going. However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. 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." It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024. End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker. It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date. 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." This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023. It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns. The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations. Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes. Professor Bamfield has 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."
Scottish Sun
10-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Popular health store suddenly closes in town centre leaving shoppers devastated
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOPPERS have been left devastated and shocked after a popular town centre health store closed down. The Vitamin Shop in Watford is said to have been down for a month now, without explanation as to why. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Vitamin Shop in St Albans Road. Credit: Google Street View The health and fitness supplement store has had its fixtures and fitting stripped out for refurbishment. With no announcement made in social media, the store has been listed as permanently closed on Google. There are expectations a new business will move in soon. The unit and its two-bedroom flat upstairs were made available for rent together at £27k per year earlier in the week. Th property therefore has a value of £50 per square foot of the, which is rateable at £6.9k. Managed by Perry Holt Property Consultants, the property is described to be 'prominently located'. It sits on a major thoroughfare in a 'well-established area for secondary retailers'. Closure of the Vitamin Shop is among many retailers around the UK that have stopped their operations. Another supplements store, a Holland & Barrett branch in Stoke on Trent, also closed down earlier in the year. This similarly caused devastation for shoppers in the local community, with one who took to social media and wrote: "It's all over.' Britain's retail apocalypse: why your favourite stores KEEP closing down According to a report by the Centre for Retail Research, an average of 37 high street shops closed every day across the UK last year. On top of that, the Centre for Retail Research has warned that 'worse is set to come in 2025'.
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
High street chains closing stores in May including Poundland and Shoe Zone
The Centre for Retail Research predicts that 17,349 shops will close in 2025, a sharp increase from the 13,479 closures recorded last year . Here we have listed all of the retailers with sites pulling down shutters over the coming few weeks Several well-known high street retailers and chains will be closing over the next few weeks. It is well-known that the British high street has struggled over the last few years. With lower footfall and higher running costs, many beloved chains have had to tighten their belts, and in some cases, it has meant closing their brick-and-mortar stores. The Centre for Retail Research predicts that 17,349 shops will close in 2025, a sharp increase from the 13,479 closures recorded last year. The hike in closures is expected because of the government's change to business National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and the rise in the national minimum wage, which came into effect in April. However, it is important to note that retailers close stores for a variety of reasons, and it doesn't just mean they are in trouble. Some close because the tenancy has come to an end on the site, or because the branch is not as profitable as others. Here we have listed all of the retailers with sites pulling down shutters over the coming few weeks. WHSmith Three WHSmith stores will be closing this month, as it pushes ahead with its plan to shift away focus on its high street branches onto travel hubs. Last month, the stationary retailer sold off almost 500 branches to Modella Capital, with the stores set to be eventually rebranded as TGJones. Around 20 WHSmith stores are set to close in the coming weeks. The stores closing in May are: Oldham, Greater Manchester – May 3 West Mall, Frenchgate Centre, Doncaster – May 3 Stockton, County Durham – May 17 Natwest Natwest will be closing 21 high street bank branches in May, with a total of 53 set to close before the end of June. According to consumer experts at Which?, over 6,000 high-street bank branches have closed in the last decade – and more than 1,400 of those were in the NatWest Group, which consists of NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. The branches shutting next month are: Windermere, May 1 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, May 1 Hollinwood, May 7 Sheffield, May 7 Widnes, May 8 Morley, May 8 Cannock, May 12 Eanam, May 12 Urmston, May 13 Allenton, May 13 Aintree Black Bull, May 14 Goole, May 14 Farnworth, May 15 Leyland, May 15 Wilmslow, May 20 Trafford Park, May 20 Basford, May 21 Wallasey, May 21 Louth, May 28 Rawtenstall, May 29 Long Eaton, May 29 Lloyds Bank Lloyds Banking Group announced the closure of 136 high street branches of Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland in January. Like other high street banks, Lloyds said the closure come due to the rise in online banking. At the time, Lloyds said all workers at the affected branches would be offered jobs elsewhere in the company. The outlets closing in May are: Beccles – May 6 Fakenham – May 6 Matlock – May 7 Monmouth – May 8 New Milton – May 13 Morrisons Earlier this year, Morrisons announced the closure of 17 of its Morrisons Daily convenience stores and 52 cafés across the UK. Alongside these closures, dozens of its Market Kitchens, florists, meat counters, fish counters and pharmacies were set to shut too. The closures are part of an ongoing "renewal programme" of Morrisons' services, in which the brand is looking to reduce costs and boost growth. The Haxby Morrisons Daily branch in Yorkshire is closing for good on May 14. Poundland Two Poundland shops are pulling down the shutters for good in May. The discount retailer's Clapham Junction station in south London is closing on Friday, May 2 with the chain's branch in St George's Centre in Gravesend town centre, shutting on May 8. Wetherspoons The Spon Gate pub in Coventry will close on May 25. A spokesperson confirmed it was a commercial decision. However, punters should not be too disappointed as there are two other Wetherspoons pubs in the city. Beales Founded in Bournemouth in 1881, one of the UK's oldest department store names will vanish from the high street after its final branch closes in Poole's Dolphin Centre on May 14. Chief executive Tony Brown blamed the closure on increases in taxes and wages outlined in the budget, leaving the business "unviable". Shoe Zone Shoezone's Devonshire Road store will be closing for good on May 13. A Shoe Zone representative previously attributed the closure to a mix of soaring business rates, wage hikes and adverse weather conditions rendering some outlets "unviable". The Entertainer Toy chain The Entertainer is set to close one of its stores this weekend. The retailer is pulling down the shutters on its Barrow-in-Furness branch on May 3. The store in Barrow had taken over a former Argos unit in the town centre in 2017.
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Beloved homeware chain shuts down website and issues urgent warning to customers ahead of closing all its stores
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BELOVED homeware chain has shut its website as it issues an urgent warning to customers ahead of closing its stores in weeks. The brand has been forced to wave goodbye to shoppers in a blow for the retail sector. 1 Home Store and More is shutting two of its branches with closing down sales launched Home Store and More has shut down its website as it gears up to close its two stores in Scotland. The popular chain will close the shops in East Kilbride and Craigleith at the end of May, with shoppers able to get up to 70% off all stock before then. In a recent Facebook post, the retailer also said any customers with a gift card should redeem it as soon as possible as they will not be honoured after the two shops shut. Meanwhile, Home Store and More's terms and conditions on its website say customers who have bought products online can return them for free as an exchange or get a full refund via courier. However, you need to have provided a notice of cancellation within 14 days of the date you received the goods and have a further 14 days from this date to return them. You can also return products to either of the two Home Store and More stores in Scotland. If you purchased a product from the retailer more than a month ago, it is down to the discretion of the customer service team as to whether you can exchange it or get a refund. Some products are exempt from the refund and exchange policy. You can find out more via Shoppers just finding out Home Store and More will disappear from the high street and online have been left devastated. Posting on Facebook, one said: "So sad this lovely shop is closing. Hope the employees can find employment. Why are so many pubs and bars closing? "(Found) good deals on batteries yesterday." Another commented: "Gutted for East Kibride and other store. Hoping they come back one day." Meanwhile, a third added: "Will miss you very much and genuinely sorry to see you go. "Your staff have been outstanding and I wish them all the very best in the future." A fourth chipped in: "Going to miss what was the best shopping experience in East Kilbride. "Hope all the staff get new jobs." HIGH STREET STRUGGLES A reason the two Home Store and More stores are closing has not been revealed by the retailer. However, the chain is bucking the general trend in shutting the two stores which are based in retail parks. A recent report from PwC highlighted the ongoing shift retailers are making away from the high street and towards locations outside towns and cities. It said these areas are experiencing fewer closures and more openings, with retail parks becoming an increasingly popular choice for shoppers. This shift is driven by the convenience they offer to shoppers who don't have to face parking charges in town and city centres. Analysis from the Centre for Retail Research found more than 13,000 high street stores shut for good in 2024. The centre found 11,341 of these were independent stores while 2,138 shops were shut by larger shops. It predicted around 17,350 shops will close in 2025 too, as retailers face the double whammy of higher employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) and national minimum wage. 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. Previous research by the British Chambers of Commerce showed that more than half of companies planned 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." Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Beloved homeware chain shuts down website and issues urgent warning to customers ahead of closing all its stores
A BELOVED homeware chain has shut its website as it issues an urgent warning to customers ahead of closing its stores in weeks. In a setback for the retail sector, Home Store and More is preparing to bid farewell to shoppers as it winds down its operations in Scotland. The popular chain is set to close its two Scottish stores, located in East Kilbride and Craigleith, by the end of May. In the lead-up to the closures, customers can take advantage of discounts of up to 70% on all remaining stock. In a recent Facebook post, the retailer urged anyone with a gift card to redeem it promptly, as gift cards will no longer be valid once the two stores have closed. Meanwhile, Home Store and More's terms and conditions on its website say customers who have bought products online can return them for free as an exchange or get a full refund via courier. However, you need to have provided a notice of cancellation within 14 days of the date you received the goods and have a further 14 days from this date to return them. You can also return products to either of the two Home Store and More stores in Scotland. If you purchased a product from the retailer more than a month ago, it is down to the discretion of the customer service team as to whether you can exchange it or get a refund. Some products are exempt from the refund and exchange policy. You can find out more via Shoppers just finding out Home Store and More will disappear from the high street and online have been left devastated. Posting on Facebook, one said: "So sad this lovely shop is closing. Hope the employees can find employment. Why are so many pubs and bars closing? "(Found) good deals on batteries yesterday." Another commented: "Gutted for East Kibride and other store. Hoping they come back one day." Meanwhile, a third added: "Will miss you very much and genuinely sorry to see you go. "Your staff have been outstanding and I wish them all the very best in the future." A fourth chipped in: "Going to miss what was the best shopping experience in East Kilbride. "Hope all the staff get new jobs." HIGH STREET STRUGGLES A reason the two Home Store and More stores are closing has not been revealed by the retailer. However, the chain is bucking the general trend in shutting the two stores which are based in retail parks. A recent report from PwC highlighted the ongoing shift retailers are making away from the high street and towards locations outside towns and cities. It said these areas are experiencing fewer closures and more openings, with retail parks becoming an increasingly popular choice for shoppers. This shift is driven by the convenience they offer to shoppers who don't have to face parking charges in town and city centres. Analysis from the Centre for Retail Research found more than 13,000 high street stores shut for good in 2024. The centre found 11,341 of these were independent stores while 2,138 shops were shut by larger shops. It predicted around 17,350 shops will close in 2025 too, as retailers face the double whammy of higher employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) and national minimum wage. 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. Previous research by the British Chambers of Commerce showed that more than half of companies planned 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."
