River Island has officially announced the specific closure dates for 27 of its stores during this month. The fashion retailer, undergoing financial challenges, had previously disclosed plans to shut down 33 stores following the approval of a restructuring strategy by the High Court.
Included in the initial list of 33 closures were stores in Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees, which ceased operations in late 2025. River Island has now revealed that an additional 27 stores will be closing by the end of January. Although closure dates for stores in Norwich, Norfolk, and Workington, Cumbria are pending confirmation.
As part of its restructuring efforts, River Island is also reducing rents at 71 other stores. Prior to the court’s approval of its rescue plan in August, the clothing chain operated 223 stores in the UK and Ireland.
The company faced financial challenges, posting a pre-tax loss of £32.3 million last year with a 15% drop in turnover to £578.1 million. River Island’s legal representative, Matthew Weaver KC, highlighted the ongoing financial struggles, citing reduced footfall and sales due to intense competition and the shift towards online shopping trends.
River Island’s CEO, Ben Lewis, acknowledged the shift in consumer behavior from brick-and-mortar stores to online platforms. He emphasized the need to align the store portfolio with customer preferences amidst rising operational costs. Lewis expressed confidence in the business’s transformation strategy to ensure long-term profitability.
Despite the store closures leading to potential job losses, River Island aims to minimize the impact on its workforce.