Fashion chain River Island will shut 33 stores across the UK after the High Court approved its restructuring plan aimed at averting insolvency.
Five Scottish locations are among those affected, including Edinburgh’s Princes Street branch, alongside stores in Cumbernauld, Falkirk, Kirkcaldy, and Perth.
The retailer has struggled with a shift toward online shopping, soaring operating costs, and multi-million-pound losses. Rising staff expenses—driven by higher national insurance contributions and an increased living wage—have added further pressure.
The court-supervised restructuring allows the company to reach agreements with creditors. River Island’s barrister, Matthew Weaver KC, told the High Court the plan was essential to avoid collapse.
Following the judgment, the company will negotiate rent reductions on another 71 stores. Around 110 of nearly 1,000 head office jobs will be cut, saving about £8.1 million.
Chief executive Ben Lewis said the move will “align our store estate to our customers’ needs.”
Stores closing in January 2026:
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. Photo by GFDL, Wikimedia commons.