The British high street has taken a battering in recent years, with many shops that were considered favourites closing their doors for the last time. This trend seems to have accelerated following the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis, which has seen households cut back on their spending.

Alongside lower footfall, many shops have been hit with high rents forcing them out of business.

According to the Centre for Retail Research almost 10,500 shops closed in 2023.

And 2024 has been no exception to these losses with multiple stores falling victim.

The most up to date data from the centre shows 804 stores closed and 16,565 retail jobs were lost during the first five months of the year.

And in July alone eight sites have shut up shop.

Co-op

A Stoke-on-Trent Co-op store in Weston Road, Meir permanently closed on July 13.

It is set to be replaced by a Nisa shop, with staff believed to have their jobs transferred over.

B&Q

B&Q shut its Sudbury store in Suffolk on July 20 due to the expiry of the lease.

The landlord has secured planning permission to redevelop the site and occupy the B&Q unit.

Peacocks

Fashion store Peacocks, on Holywell High Street in Flintshire, Wales, closed on July 25

Card Factory

Card Factory closed its branch in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire in Scotland on July 20.

A Card Factory spokesperson said: “We continually review our estate of over 1,050 stores across the UK and Ireland.

“With our other Cumbernauld store just around the corner in the Antonine Shopping Centre on Forth Walk, (0.2 miles away), we have taken the decision to close our store on Teviot Street from July 20.”

Robert Dyas

Hardware retailer Robert Dyas closed its store in Castlepoint, Bournemouth on July 20.

It came after the store was served a notice by their landlord.

B&M

Discount chain B&M closed its store at 14-20 Lord Street in Gainsborough on July 17.

However, a new branch in the same area opened July 20.

Poundland

Poundland closed two sites this month. One store in Freeman Street in Grimsby shut on July 2 having opened just eight months earlier.

The store opened just seven months ago in November and replaced a longstanding Wilko store.

Poundland also closed a store in Hitchin on July 16 after it was unable to secure a long-term lease.

A previous version of this story stated that The Works was set to close a store in Berwick-upon-Tweed today (July 26).

This is now no longer the case and a spokesperson for The Works said: “We are pleased to confirm that following negotiations with our landlord, we have been able to agree a lease renewal to keep our Berwick-upon-Tweed store open.

“We love being a part of the local community and are delighted to be retaining our presence in the town so we can continue to inspire our Berwick customers to read, learn, create and play.”