River Island and Primark are among the major retailers that have confirmed store closures for January 2026. In the previous year, 54 retailers went bankrupt, leading to the closure of 3,080 stores and affecting 30,153 employees, according to the Centre for Retail Research. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a slight decline of 0.1% in retail sales volumes in November.
River Island is planning to shut down at least 27 stores this month as part of its restructuring efforts. Some of the locations already closed in late 2025 include branches in Brighton, Edinburgh Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees. Meanwhile, Poundland is set to close 12 stores in January following a High Court-approved reorganization. Primark recently closed its Dartford store due to significant building repairs required.
Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, all part of Lloyds Banking Group, will collectively close 34 bank branches this month, citing the increasing trend of online banking as the reason for the closures. This includes 17 Lloyds branches, eight Halifax sites, and nine Bank of Scotland branches.
The closures reflect the ongoing challenges faced by retail and banking sectors as consumer behaviors and preferences continue to evolve towards digital platforms.
