Major high street retailers including New Look, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Sports Direct have already shut several sites in 2025.
Now, May is set to bring a raft of new closures affecting the likes of WHSmith, Poundland and NatWest.
UK high street stores that no longer exist
Full list of major retail stores and bank branches closing in May 2025
WHSmith
WHSmith, back in March, agreed to sell its UK high street chain to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital in a deal valuing it at £76 million.
The sale does not include WHSmith’s travel locations, such as shops in airports and train stations, nor the brand itself.
All the approximately 480 stores and 5,000 staff working for the high street businesses will move under Modella Capital’s ownership as part of the deal.
The deal will see the WH Smith name disappear from high streets and be replaced by the brand TGJones.
Prior to the sale, in January, WHSmith announced it would be closing 15 stores across the UK in 2025.
- The Oldham – May 3
- Stockton – May 17
- Frenchgate Centre – May 31
Morrisons
Morrisons revealed in March it planned on closing 52 in-store cafés along with some of its convenience stores, florists, meat and fish counters and pharmacies.
These closures are part of a major overhaul of store operations as Morrisons continues to carry out its transformation plan under boss Rami Baitieh.
As part of the announcement, Morrisons revealed it plans on closing:
- 52 cafes
- All 18 market kitchens
- 17 convenience stores
- 13 florists
- 35 meat counters
- 35 fish counters
- Four pharmacies
These closures are set to put 365 jobs at risk, although it’s said the majority of workers affected are expected to be moved into other roles.
You can see the full list of Morrisons cafés and convenience stores set to close here.
All of the Morrisons convenience stores closed on April 16, except the Haxby site which will shut for good on May 14.
Poundland
There are currently more than 800 Poundland stores located across the UK.
However, it is set to become one less with the store inside Liverpool’s Belle Vale Shopping Centre due to close on May 6.
Next
Next is set to close one of its outlet stores in Darlington Retail Park on May 24, according to The Sun.
Next’s standard store in Darlington, located at the Cornmill Centre, will remain open.
JD Wetherspoon
JD Wetherspoon will also be closing one of its sites in May 2025.
The pub chain will shut the doors for good on The Spon Gate in Coventry on May 25, according to The Sun.
It is understood staff from the Coventry-based pub will be offered roles elsewhere in the business.
A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said it was a “commercial decision” to close the pub.
@uktoday_ You should know these rules before going to Spoons #uknews #wetherspoons #jdwetherspoon #uknewsheadlines ♬ original sound – UKToday 🇬🇧 Newsquest
Barclays
Barclays is set to close two branches in May 2025:
- Whitby – May 2
- Leiston – May 2
The major bank said the decision to close these branches was due to customers “choosing to bank differently these days”.
As a result, not as many are using in-person bank branches.
The Barclays website reads: “Because of this, we’re changing the ways we support people in your area.
“The decision to close a branch is never easy and we appreciate it might not be welcome news, but we’ll make sure you still have access to our banking services.”
NatWest
NatWest will close 21 bank branches in May. The location of these branches, according to The Metro, are:
- Aintree Black Bull – May 14
- Allenton – May 13
- Basford – May 21
- Cannock – May 12
- Eanam – May 12
- Hollinwood – May 7
- Farnworth – May 15
- Goole – May 14
- Leyland – May 15
- Long Eaton – May 29
- Louth – May 28
- Morley – May 8
- Newcastle-Upon-Tyne – May 1
- Rawtenstall – May 29
- Sheffield – May 7
- Trafford Park – May 20
- Urmston – May 13
- Wallasey – May 21
- Widnes – May 8
- Wilmslow – May 20
- Windermere – May 1
How to save money
Lloyds
Lloyds Banking Group – which is responsible for Lloyds, Halifax and the Bank of Scotland – announced in January it planned to close 136 high street branches in 2025.
Five of these closures (all Lloyds branches) are set to take place in May, according to The Metro:
- Beccles – May 6
- Fakenham – May 6
- Matlock – May 7
- Monmouth – May 8
- New Milton – May 13
Shoe Zone
Shoe Zone closed 26 sites in 2024 and has plans to shut down more stores over the coming years.
There are currently around 297 sites in the UK and the retailer wants to reduce those numbers to approximately 280 by 2026-2027, it revealed earlier this year.
Shoe Zone in Bexhill, located on Devonshire Road, is set to be the next closure on May 13.
The Entertainer
The Entertainer will shut the doors on its store in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, for good on May 3, it has been reported.
The UK’s biggest toy retailer currently has more than 160 stores in the UK.
Smiggle
There are currently 107 Smiggle branches in the UK, but it is set to become one less in May.
Smiggle’s store in Inverness – located in the Eastgate Shopping Centre – has announced it will be closing for good on May 21, The Sun said.
Beales
Beales, which is one of the UK’s oldest department stores, entered administration in January 2020, leading to the closure of 22 of its 23 shops.
@uktoday_ This is what administration means #uknews #administration #ukbusiness #uknewsheadlines ♬ original sound – UKToday 🇬🇧 Newsquest
Now it is set to close its final store – located in Poole’s Dolphin Centre on May 14.
The Meat Shack
The Meat Shack, located on Birmingham’s Thorp Street, is another retailer set to close in May 2025.
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The popular restaurant will close for good on May 10.
Trade Me In
Trade Me In, in St John’s Shopping Centre, Leeds, will also be closing on May 31, according to The Sun.
