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Boots announced at the beginning of the year its plans to reduce the number of UK sites from 2,200 to 1,900. Closing 300 stores in 2023 will help “consolidate the business”.
Between now and the end of December, six Boots sites will shut their doors for good.
The high street has taken a hit in recent years. The global pandemic changed shopping and spending habits back in 2020, and more recently the cost of living crisis continues to do so.
Back in August, Retail Gazette reported: “According to the British Retail Consortium, 6,000 shops have closed down in the UK in the last five years as a result of crippling business rates, a wave of administrations during the pandemic, and hesitancy around new openings.”
Popular health and beauty retailer Boots is one high street staple that has been affected, with two stores closing for good today and more in the coming months.
Boots stores closing today
- Kings Square, York – October 28
- Warminster – October 28
Boots stores closing before Christmas
- Gorleston, Great Yarmouth – November
- High Row, Darlington – November 3
- Mudge Way, Plymouth – November 18
- Mount Pleasant, Exeter – November 18
The stores closing down are not expected to meet their financial targets. However, affected Boots customers won’t be too stuck, as most stores closing are in close proximtity to other stores.
Those who work at affected stores need not worry, as Boots has confirmed there are no proposed redundancies. Instead, there are plans to move workers to other locations.
A spokesperson said: “Evolving the store estate in this way allows Boots to concentrate its team members where they are needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up-to-date environment.”
