River Island has announced the exact dates that 27 of its stores will close
12:30, 10 Jan 2026
River Island has confirmed the exact closure dates for 27 of its stores - including the Hanley branch. The fashion chain had previously disclosed plans to close 33 locations following High Court approval of a significant restructuring proposal.
Amongst the initial list of 33 outlets, branches in Brighton, Edinburgh's Princes Street, Great Yarmouth, and Stockton-on-Tees have already ceased trading in the closing months of 2025. The retailer has now published closure dates for a further 27 shops, all of which are set to shut towards the end of January.
The store inside Hanley's Potteries Centre is due to close on January 24. Additional closures are planned for Norwich in Norfolk and Workington in Cumbria, though specific dates for these sites remain unconfirmed. As part of its overhaul, River Island is also negotiating reduced rents across another 71 locations.
At the time of the rescue package being examined in court this August, the clothing retailer operated 223 stores throughout the UK and Ireland. Last year saw the business record a pre-tax loss of £32.3million, with turnover plummeting 15% to £578.1 million.
During court proceedings, Matthew Weaver KC, representing River Island, explained the company "simply has not been able to reverse" its ongoing financial struggles. He pointed to declining customer numbers and sales driven by "the pressures of a highly competitive and changing retail environment as well as the prevailing trend away from high street retail stores to online shopping".
Earlier this year, Ben Lewis, the chief executive of River Island, stated: "River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street. However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers' needs.
"The sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden. We have a clear strategy to transform the business to ensure its long-term viability.
"Recent improvements in our fashion offer and in-store shopping experience are already showing very positive results, but it is only with a restructuring plan that we will be able to see this strategy through and secure River Island's future as a profitable retail business. We regret any job losses as a result of store closures, and we will try to keep these to a minimum."
All River Island stores closing this month
- Aylesbury – January 18, 2026
- Bangor Bloomfield – January 24, 2026
- Barnstaple – January 31, 2026
- Beckton – January 31, 2026
- Burton upon Trent – January 18, 2026
- Cumbernauld – January 24, 2026
- Didcot – January 31, 2026
- Falkirk – January 31, 2026
- Gloucester – January 31, 2026
- Grimsby – January 31, 2026
- Hanley – January 24, 2026
- Hartlepool – January 24, 2026
- Hereford – January 31, 2026
- Kilmarnock – January 24, 2026
- Kirkcaldy – January 31, 2026
- Leeds Birstall Park – January 18, 2026
- Lisburn – January 18, 2026
- Northwich – January 24, 2026
- Oxford – January 31, 2026
- Perth – January 18, 2026
- Poole – January 31, 2026
- Rochdale – January 31, 2026
- St Helens – January 24, 2026
- Surrey Quays – January 18, 2026
- Sutton Coldfield – January 18, 2026
- Taunton – January 18, 2026
- Wrexham – January 18, 2026
Get daily headlines and breaking news emailed to you - it’s FREE