Full list of stores closing in September 2025 from M&S to Poundland and River Island

Poundland is one of an ever-increasing number of retailers saying goodbye to branches (Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

British high streets are facing even more shop closures this year, with dozens of shops set to shut in September.

Shoppers might enjoy the closing-down sales in the short term, but the move is likely to deal another blow to local communities.

From tech giants to the everyday favourites that have defined the high street for decades, retailers are pulling down shutters left, right and centre.

Up to 17,000 shops are expected to close this year alone, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

Running a shop isn’t what it once was, experts have told Metro, with sky-high energy bills and online shopping forcing retailers to make difficult choices.

Here are the brands set to disappear from your high street this month.

Bonmarche

The iconic fashion brand is closing one branch (Picture: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The fashion brand will bid farewell to its Scarborough branch on September 14.

A large clearance sale is underway in the run-up to the store’s closure.

It comes as Brunswick shopping centre in the town is closing as part of redevelopment plans.

A spokesperson said: ‘Unfortunately, Bonmarche has no choice but to move as the Brunswick Centre in Scarborough is closing down.

‘But we love Scarborough and are actively on the hunt for a new location in the local area.’

GAME

The video game company has struggled for years (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

GAME will close several branches over the next few months as part of a restructuring plan by its owners, Frasers Group.

First up will be the Gateshead Metrocentre outlet, which will close on September 7.

Their Bristol Galleries Shopping Center store isthendue to shut on September 25.

The Chatham, Kent, branch will also stop trading before the end of September.

Hobbycraft

Hobbycraft has already closed dozens of stores (Picture: Getty Images)

The troubled arts and crafts chain was bought by investment firm Modella Capital last year, kicking off a wave of redundancies and closures.

Hobbycrafts in Chichester, Crayford, Kings Lynn, Maidenhead, Stafford and Wigan will close in September, according to the company’s website.

No exact dates have been given.

Marks & Spencer

The high street fashion brand is shutting its flagship store in Wolverhampton in September.

The Dudley Street outlet opened in 1929, but will serve customers for the last time on September 27.

New Look

New Look is closing dozens of stores this year (Picture: Getty Images)

The fashion brand is saying goodbye to its Scarborough store on September 5.

Their spokesperson thanked all their colleagues and local community for ‘their support over the years’.

New Look has warned that nearly 100 of its 364 stores could be at risk, having already closed 11 sites this year, including in Birmingham.

River Island

River Island is shutting shops as part of a huge restructuring plan.

A mammoth 33 stores will close across the UK, with most coming in January 2026.

A number of its shops have already closed this year, with its Edinburgh branch up next.

The store will stop serving customers on September 5.

The Original Factory Shop (TOFS)

The discount retailer is trimming its high street presence, with at least two spots closing this month.

The TOFS in Chard will close on September 7, followed by its Market Drayton, Shropshire, store on September 20.

Other outlets in Middlewich, Blairgowrie, Heswall, Knross, Nairn, Mexborough and Whitchurch are marked for closure, but not date has been set.

High streets are facing many financial pressures (Picture: Shutterstock/William Barton)

In 2024 alone, 12,804 chain stores closed their doors, amounting to 35 a day, data from PwC network shows.

But around 132,945 local high street shops could disappear over the next 15 years, mainly clothing, furniture and electronic stores.

While these closures are being seen visually, with boarded-up shops and vacant lots, why they are isn’t always so obvious, Julie Fisher, UK CEO at Simply Business, a small business insurer, previously told Metro.

On top of day-to-day running costs being higher, higher National Insurance contributions, increased rent and squeezed incomings are also factors.

‘These are clear signs that our high streets, as we know them, are under threat, and will become unrecognisable without intervention,’ Fisher added.

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