The high street has struggled over the last few years and this weekend another 10 stores are set to shut their doors for good.
The UK high street has been in decline for a while with the rise of internet shopping being a major contributor for the last decade at least.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns were another nail in the coffin and the current cost of living crisis is adding fuel to the fire.
Since 2020, the UK high street has lost major brands such as H&M, HMV, Debenhams, and Paperchase, have closed for good.
As well as this, popular restaurant chains such as Frankie and Bennies, Bella Italia and Byron Burger have also announced their departures.
Sadly, store closures are expected to continue as rising inflation hits retailers hard with 10 stores across two major brands set to close this weekend.
M&Co
M&Co fell into administration for the second time in two years at the start of December but the retailer's brand and intellectual property was saved after being sold to Yours Clothing in February.
This meant M&Co's physical stores were going to have to close.
Overall, M&Co will be closing 170 of its high street stores with 51 locations having already shut their doors for good.
Tomorrow, Saturday 15, will see eight M&Co sites pulling down their shutters for the last time.
M&Co closures this weekend:
- Bridestone Shop Centre - Congleton - April 15
- Cromwell Street - Egham - April 15
- Preston Street - Faversham - April 15
- High Street - Haverhill - April 15
- Albert Street - Orkney - April 15
- Erroll Street - Peterhead - April 15
- Southgate - Sleaford - April 15
- North Street - Sudbury - April 15
M&S
The upmarket retailer Marks & Spencer or M&S has sadly become another chain to fall victim to sale losses and rising running costs.
As a result, M&S announced it was closing around 67 of its "lower productivity" stores last year and two of them will be closing this weekend.
The retailer has already closed multiple branches, including in London and Edinburgh.
M&S's store on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough and its Deansgate site in Bolton will be closing their doors for good this Saturday.
The M&S shop in Carlton Street, Castleford, will also be closing, but its last day of trading will be next week on April 22.
However, despite continuing with their plans to close some stores, M&S confirmed in January 2023 that they were to open 20 new "bigger, better" stores this year.
The new stores will coincide with the opening of a further 104 Simply Food sites, which were announced back in October 2022.
Taking place from now till early 2028, the retailer will increase their current Simply Food stores from 316 sites to 420.
M&S closures this weekend:
Linthorpe Road - Middlesbrough - April 15
Deansgate - Bolton - April 15
