River Island is closing 34 stores: full list of cities where operations will cease.

According to The Sun: The River Island brand has decided to close one of its first stores, which is part of a list of 34 closures, in the coming days as part of a large-scale restructuring plan.

The store in Stockton-on-Tees will close on September 14.

In an email to customers, the store stated:

“Stockton, it’s been great! We are sad to say goodbye to our store in Stockton. You can shop with us until Sunday, September 14, 2025.”

This is not the only River Island store closing in the North East.

A store in Hartlepool will also close, although the exact date of its closure has not yet been confirmed.

Additionally, the chain will close its store in the Southside shopping center in Wandsworth, London.

In preparation for the closure, the store launched a sale with a 30% discount on merchandise.

Earlier, the British chain announced the closure of 33 stores in January as part of a major restructuring plan.

The closure of the store in Wandsworth increased the total number of closures to 34.

The brand's management blames the rise of online shopping for additional pressure on the business.

The chain posted a loss of £32.3 million before tax last year and reported a 15% decrease in revenue to £578.1 million.

River Island also reached out to landlords of 71 stores requesting a reduction in rent.

This is a deal between the tenant and the landlord that helps reduce the amount of rent typically during financial difficulties.

The chain already closed a store in Edinburgh on September 5.

List of stores scheduled for closure

Here is the complete list of 34 stores that are scheduled to close:

• Beckton
• Bangor Bloomfield
• Wrexham
• Edinburgh Princes Street
• Hereford
• Surrey Quays
• Didcot
• Sutton Coldfield
• Aylesbury
• Burton-Upon-Trent
• Northwich
• Taunton
• Workington
• Falkirk
• Cumbernauld
• Kirkcaldy
• Gloucester
• Hartlepool
• Brighton
• Lisburn
• Norwich
• Oxford
• Poole
• Kilmarnock
• Hanley
• Barnstaple
• Grimsby
• Leeds Birstall Park
• Rochdale
• Great Yarmouth
• St Helens
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Perth
• Wandsworth

Challenges in the retail market

This news comes against a backdrop of tough times for retail, as many chains face declining consumer spending and rising costs.

Owners of New Look, reportedly, are in talks with consultants regarding a strategic review of the brand that could lead to its sale.

This year, the chain has closed dozens of stores, including in Wales and Scotland.

In February, New Look also closed 26 stores in the Republic of Ireland.

Last month, Claire’s also went into administration and suspended online orders.

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