New Look closes another store in Britain: what is known about the reasons.

According to The Sun: Shoppers are disappointed as another New Look store is closing.

The iconic brand has already closed 13 of its stores across the country due to financial difficulties in the current economic climate.

The last closed store is located in Potteries Centre in Stoke-on-Trent, which is set to cease operations on October 14.

This news disappointed the management of the shopping center, which admitted it was unaware of New Look's store closure.

However, shoppers had already noticed sales in the store for some time.

“River Island, H&M, New Look, Game... what's next? Not everyone can get to the big shopping parks!”

“It's no surprise, the store has been half-empty for a while with a large clearance zone,”

“The cash register never lies... if people aren't spending money, what's the point of keeping the store open?”

“I was in New Look a few weeks ago, the only people there were the staff and me – the same is happening in other stores in the mall.”

“I used to love visiting it on Saturdays, it was packed a few years ago.”

A New Look representative confirmed: “Our store in Henley is closing on October 14.”

“We are grateful to all our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years.”

“We hope shoppers will continue to visit our nearest store in Stoke-on-Trent Festival Retail Park and find us online at newlook.com, where our full range of products is showcased.”

The company also noted that all employees are being offered positions in nearby stores.

A representative of the shopping center confirmed: “We can confirm that New Look has decided to close its store in Potteries Centre.

“This news was not communicated to us in advance, and any questions regarding the company’s commercial decisions or circumstances leading to this closure should be directed to New Look as we cannot comment on individual agreements with tenants.”

“New Look has been a valuable tenant in Potteries Centre for many years, and we are saddened by their departure. We understand that many of our visitors will also be unpleasantly surprised by this news.”

What is happening with New Look?

This closure follows the recent closure of New Look in Harrow Town Centre, where the store served its last customers on September 17.

In Leicestershire, the branch in The Britannia Centre, at Stockwell Head, is closing on December 9.

This is all happening against the backdrop of New Look's owners reportedly negotiating with consultants regarding a strategic review of the brand, which could lead to its sale.

Alcentra and Brait, which have owned the chain since 2020, have turned to the financial advisory group Rothschild to assist with this process, according to information from Sky News.

The timeline for this process has yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, it is important to note that during this process, no changes for customers are expected, and the company is not on the brink of bankruptcy.

A representative of New Look previously stated: “Management is focused on running the business and implementing the strategy for long-term growth.

“The company is performing steadily, with positive dynamics due to successful summer sales and significant online sales.”

In April, the brand secured funding of over £30 million to enhance its online program.

Currently, more than 40% of the company’s revenue comes from online sales, as shoppers prefer digital purchases over visits to physical stores.

Previously, the company had reported plans to close nearly 100 stores due to the increase in national insurance that came into effect in April.

Approximately a quarter of the 364 stores of the retailer may be at risk when their lease agreements expire.

• New Look, Stoke-on-Trent – closing October 14
• New Look, Stockwell Head – closing December 9
• New Look, Scarborough – closed September 17
• New Look, Neath, Wales – closed August 6
• New Look, Hamilton, Scotland – closed July 1
• New Look, Birmingham, Northfield shopping centre – closed June 8
• New Look, Willow Place, Corby – closed June 1
• New Look, Bexleyheath, London – closed April 19
• New Look, Preston – closed March 20
• New Look, Valley Retail World in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear – closed March 9
• New Look, St Austell in Cornwall – closed March 4
• New Look, Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales – closed February 22
• New Look, Wickford, Essex – closed January 24
• New Look, Carillon Court Shopping Centre Loughborough – closed January 21.
• New Look, Devizes, Wiltshire – closed

RETAIL BID IN 2025

The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the increase in employer contributions to national insurance will cost the retail sector £2.3 billion.

Research from the British Chamber of Commerce showed that more than half of companies plan to raise prices before the beginning of April.

A survey of over 4,800 companies showed that 55% expect price increases in the next three months, which is an increase from 39% in a similar survey conducted in the second half of 2024.

Three-quarters of companies mention employee costs as a major financial burden.

The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) also warned that in 2025 around 17,350 retail outlets could close.

This comes after a tough 2024, when 13,000 stores permanently closed, which already represents a 28% increase compared to the previous year.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of CRR, noted: “The 2024 closure results show that while overall store closures were not as severe as in 2020 or 2022, they are still concerning, and worse is ahead in 2025.”

Professor Bamfield also warned of bleak prospects in 2025, predicting that up to 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.

“With rising store maintenance costs and costs for each household, it is very likely that we will see retail layoffs exceed peak pandemic levels in 2020.”