M&S, Newlook, B&M, Lidl and Iceland store closures planned this month

Major highstreet brands will say goodbye to a handful of their UK stores this month as part of planned closures.

Iceland, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, B&M and New Look are among those that will permanently close select branches in a matter of days or weeks.

It comes as climbing energy costs continue to challenge owners trying to keep retail stores across the country open. 

While some retailers will open new sites to replace those that have closed down, others will stay permanently shut to minimise the expenses that come with brick-and-mortar shops.

Express.co.uk has rounded up the full list of those affected.

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Marks and Spencer

Marks and Spencer currently operate 1,060 stores across the UK though this will soon be reduced as two branches prepare to close.

Meadowbank retail park in Edinburgh is expected to shut for good in spring along with the Newport Road branch in Cardiff, Wales.

Further closures have been announced for later in the year with Eagles Meadow, Wrexham shutting in autumn, along with Deansgate, Bolton.

While the popular retailer is undergoing widespread closures, new “destination” stores are also in the pipeline. 

These will be found in Leeds White Rose, Liverpool One, Birmingham Bullring, Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Lakeside Thurrock.

Each store is expected to appear in 2023, though some will open their doors to customers sooner than others.

Leeds and Liverpool are expected to appear first in the summer, with exact opening dates yet to be confirmed.

Later in autumn, Birmiginham will be the third destination store to appear, with Lakeside and Manchester opening in winter.

B&M

The popular budget retailer has followed in the footsteps of Marks and Spencers by closing two stores. Widnes, Cheshire was the first to go this month, having closed its doors for good on Wednesday, May 17.

A statement on the B&M website read: “Your B&M Widnes store is moving from its current location at Bowers Retail Park to its new home at Widnes Trade Park (former The Range).” A second branch currently located at the Burnden Retail Park in Bolton will close for good in just days, on Wednesday, May 24.

Iceland

Shoppers in Flint, Wales, will lose their local Iceland store on Saturday, May 27. It comes as part of its “cost-cutting plan” which has already seen a handful of branches close earlier this year. Iceland’s branch in Beccles, Suffolk, will also shut for good later in June, on Saturday, 17.

Lidl

A second budget supermarket, Lidl, will follow Iceland with two permanent closures.  The branch on Sturry Road, Canterbury will close on Sunday, May 28 as a result of poor building conditions which have rendered it “unfit for purpose”.

Lidl on Forton Road, Gosport (Hampshire), will also shut down on May 28, though staff from both branches will be offered positions in alternative stores.

New Look

The highstreet fashion retailer said goodbye to its Witham store in Essex last week, on Thursday, May 18.

A spokesperson for the brand told The Sun: “We are supporting colleagues and we are looking to accommodate the team into local stores where possible.”