Fashion retailer River Island is closing nine stores across the UK today, with a further 18 set to shut by the end of the month. This move is part of a larger restructuring plan approved by the High Court in August 2025, aimed at preventing administration due to declining footfall and sales. Shoppers can find significant discounts as part of "everything must go" sales.
Key Takeaways
- Nine River Island stores are closing permanently today, January 18th.
- A total of 27 stores will close by the end of January, with more closures planned later in 2025.
- The closures are part of a High Court-approved restructuring to address declining sales and rising business costs.
- "Everything must go" sales are currently offering up to 60% off.
Store Closures Underway
River Island is permanently closing nine of its locations today, January 18th. This initial wave is part of a broader strategy that will see a total of 27 stores shut down before the end of January. The fashion giant, which employs approximately 5,500 people across 220 stores in the UK and Ireland, confirmed plans in August 2025 to close 33 stores. This restructuring was deemed necessary to prevent the company from entering administration, a consequence of reduced high street footfall and sales.
Reasons Behind the Closures
River Island Chief Executive Ben Lewis stated that the "well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online" has resulted in a store portfolio that no longer meets customer needs. He also cited the "sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years" as an additional financial burden. Alongside store closures, the company is also negotiating reduced rent for a further 71 shops.
List Of Closing Stores
The following nine stores are closing today, January 18th:
- Aylesbury
- Birstall Shopping Park (Leeds)
- Burton upon Trent
- Lisburn
- Perth
- Surrey Quays
- Sutton Coldfield
- Taunton
- Wrexham
Further closures scheduled for January include:
- Altrincham, Manchester – Jan 26
- Bangor Bloomfield, Northern Ireland – Jan 24
- Barnstaple, Devon – Jan 31
- Beckton, Greater London – Jan 31
- Brighton, East Sussex – Jan 18 (already closed)
- Cumbernauld, Scotland – Jan 24
- Didcot, Oxfordshire – Jan 31
- Falkirk, Scotland – Jan 31
- Gloucester, Gloucestershire – Jan 31
- Grimsby, Lincolnshire – Jan 31
- Hanley, Staffordshire – Jan 24
- Hartlepool, County Durham – Jan 24
- Hereford, Herefordshire – Jan 31
- Kilmarnock, Scotland – Jan 24
- Kirkcaldy, Scotland – Jan 31
- Northwich, Cheshire – Jan 24
- Oxford, Oxfordshire – Jan 31
- Poole, Dorset – Jan 31
- Rochdale, Greater Manchester – Jan 31
- St Helens, Merseyside – Jan 24
- Workington, Cumbria – TBC
Stores with later closure dates include Edinburgh Princes Street (September 2025), Great Yarmouth (November 2025), and Norwich (TBC).
Clearance Sales
In conjunction with the store closures, River Island is holding "everything must go" sales across its remaining stores. Shoppers can find significant discounts of up to 60% on a wide range of clothing and accessories for women, men, and children, with new lines frequently added to the sale.
