Britain’s high streets have seen a decline in recent years and this trend is set to continue as many well loved shops are closing spots in the capital and across the country. Shoppers have been devastated as beloved stores have announced closures recently including M&S and Boots.
Some companies are not shutting completely though so it isn’t as bleak as it may seen, and who knows, after the Wilko comeback anything could happen.
The most recent high street loss, which was announced today (March 29), was the immediate closure of 25 Natwest branches in London.
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Here’s a full list of all the London high street stores closing this year:
M&S
M&S has revealed it will be closing more stores, causing disappointment among its army of shoppers. In 2022, the supermarket giant shared it would be shutting 67 shops within the coming five years as part of a plan to close 110 sites in total.
Among the shops shutting are two London stores. These are:
M&S have not yet confirmed the dates these stores will close. Customers of the Walworth store told MyLondon it would be “terrible” for the shop to shut as it has served the community for over 100 years.
Boots
Boots are also set to close more stores in 2024, reducing its number of outlets to 2,200 to 1,900. The chemist are gradually revealing which locations are set to go, but are only shutting ones that have other Boots within a three mile radius.
No new London locations are on the upcoming list to be shut, but some stores across the capital shut last year. These included the King William Street branch.
The Body Shop
After calling in administrators The Body Shop’s closure count has hit 82, with 489 people who work for the beauty brand having lost their jobs. Despite this, 166 stores will remain open.
Nine stores in London will be shutting:
- Battersea
- Bexleyheath
- Brixton
- Croydon
- Ilford
- Islington
- Lewisham Centre
- Regent Street
- Walthamstow
Despite the closures, 16 London stores will be remaining open for the time being.
Wilko
Last year Wilko collapsed into administration, with all its stores closing in September. However after its closure some locations reopened under the Poundland name. In total 56 shops were converted, including some across the capital.
These Wilko stores in London made a comeback:
Joules
Joules has also had stores hut this year after being saved by Next in 2022 after it collapsed into administration. The Stratford store closed its doors on February 23 and was one of the 19 branches that has gone in the past year.
Despite the closure there is hope that this spot will reopen again. A spokesperson for the brand said: “We are currently negotiating contracts for the Joules store at Stratford and our hope is that we will reopen the store with a full refurbishment.
Wetherspoons
Aside from shops, one of Britain’s most loved pubs chains is continuing to sell and shut more stores in 2024, following the closure of some popular haunts last year. The chain said that ” almost all” of the pubs closing their doors were in areas where there was another Wetherspoon site nearby.
Pubs up for sale, under offer or shut in London are:
- The Plough and Harrow, London
- Asparagus – Battersea
- The Alfred Herring – Palmers Green
- Wrong ‘Un – Bexleyheath
- Angel, Islington
- Harvest Moon, Orpington
- The Knight’s Templar, London
- The Bankers Draft, Eltham, London
- The Coronet, London
Banks – Natwest, Barclays, Lloyds
Several banks are also set to close in London this year. MyLondon have an interactive map that shows which branches are being stripped from the high street in the city.
There will be 33 closures, 17 of which will be Barclays stores. Lloyds and Natwest are also set to shut six London shops each.
Here are the London banks that will be going:
- Barclays, 131 Eltham High Street, Eltham
- Barclays, 54 High Street, Ruislip
- Lloyds, 308-312 Chiswick High Road, London
- NatWest, 314 Chiswick High Road, London
- NatWest, 10 Victoria Road, Surbiton
- NatWest, 2 Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich
- NatWest, 12 Station Parade, London
- Barclays, 8 The Broadway, Crouch End
- NatWest, 208 Piccadilly, London
- Barclays, 2/4 Aldermans Hill, Palmers Green, London
- Halifax, 99 High Street, Barnet
- Halifax, 248/250 High Street, Orpington
- Lloyds, 82-84 High Street, Ruislip
- Lloyds, 1 Walm Lane, Willesden Green
- Lloyds, 110-112 High Street, Putney
- Lloyds, 34 Station Road, West Drayton
- Barclays, 306 Romford Road, Forest Gate
- Barclays, 20 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington
- Halifax, 58-62 High Street, Barkingside
- Barclays, 5 High Road, Willesden Green
- Barclays, 154-155 Tottenham Court Road, London
- Halifax, 226 Heathway, Dagenham
- Barclays, 220 Ealing Road, Wembley
- Barclays, 136 High Street, Hornchurch
- Barclays, 136 Streatham High Road, Streatham
- Barclays, 20 Fulham Broadway, Fulham Broadway
- Barclays, 20-24 Ripple Road, Barking
- Lloyds, 60 Sidcup High Street, Sidcup
- Halifax, 66 High Street, Sidcup
- Barclays, Acorn House, 36-38 Park Royal Road, London
- NatWest, 1 Princes Street, London
- Barclays, 29-33 Wormwood Street, London
- Barclays, 15-17 Tottenham Court Road, London
- Barclays, 130 George Lane, South Woodford (closure date TBC)
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