UK high streets have been battered by store closures in the first few months of 2026.
Once boasting around 300 outlets across the UK’s high streets, Game has experienced a dramatic decline from its prime. As reported by the Retail Gazette, the video games retailer has confirmed its last three stores in Dudley, Lancaster and Sutton will cease trading from April 2026.
The Game stores shutting their doors include Merry Hill, Dudley; Nicholas Arcade, Lancaster; and Times Square Shopping Centre in Sutton.
This comes after the company entered administration earlier this year, indicating it was unable to pay its debts. However, its online operations will continue, and over 200 concession stores within Sports Direct and House of Fraser will remain open.
The challenge comes as an increasing number of consumers opt for digital downloads to access new games, which is a stark contrast to when the store first launched in 1990.
Likely due to the surge in online shopping, another British high street retailer is also becoming a less common sight.
Fashion chain River Island shut 27 stores at the start of this year throughout the UK, reports the Express.
Despite the brand launching its first store in 1988 and becoming a familiar name across the country, its presence is now dwindling. Locations lost include Leeds Birstall Park, Surrey Quays in London, and Poole.
Full list of River Island stores that closed down
- Aylesbury
- Burton upon Trent
- Leeds Birstall Park
- Lisburn
- Perth
- Surrey Quays
- Sutton Coldfield
- Taunton
- Wrexham
- Bangor Bloomfield
- Cumbernauld
- Hartlepool
- Kilmarnock
- Northwich
- St Helens
- Barnstaple
- Beckton
- Didcot
- Falkirk
- Gloucester
- Grimsby
- Hanley
- Hereford
- Kirkcaldy
- Oxford
- Poole
- Rochdale
Now fashion retailer QUIZ, originally established in Scotland back in 1993, faces potential store closures after entering administration in February 2026.
All QUIZ stores at risk of closing down
- Aberdeen
- Basingstoke
- Belfast – Castlecourt
- Bracknell
- Cardiff
- Carlisle
- Castleford
- Clydebank
- Craigavon
- Derby
- Dunfermline
- Eastbourne
- Gateshead – metro
- Glasgow – Braehead
- Glasgow – Buchanan Galleries
- Glasgow – Fort
- Glasgow – St Enoch
- Hanley
- Hull
- Inverness
- Irvine
- Leeds – Whiterose
- Leicester
- Livingston
- Manchester – Arndale
- Manchester – Trafford Centre
- Mansfield
- Merryhill
- Newry
- Newtownabbey
- Northampton
- Norwich
- Porstmouth
- Romford
- Sheffield – Meadowhall
- Stirling
- Telford
- Thurrock – Lakeside
- Warrington
- Watford
Additionally, Claire’s Accessories, which launched its first UK outlet in 1996, has entered administration. The chain is currently seeking a buyer. Should the business fail to attract a purchaser, then as many as 150 UK branches could be forced to shut their doors.
Even charity retailer Cancer Research UK is shutting up to 88 locations by May 2026.
Cancer Research UK stores closing down this year
- Aberdeen, 19 Rosemount Viaduct
- Airdrie, 5 Bank Street
- Balham, 168 Balham High Road
- Ballymena, 49 Ballymoney Street
- Banbury, 9 Parsons Street
- Barnstaple, Gammon Walk
- Belfast, Bloomfield 17 Bloomfield Avenue
- Biggleswade, 24 High Street
- Birkenhead, Borough Pavement
- Birmingham, 245 High Street, Erdington
- Bognor, 1-2 Clock Walk
- Bolton, 6 Newport Street
- Bradford, 34-36 Ivegate
- Burton, On Trent 25 Station St
- Chesham, 34 High Street
- Clevedon, 1 Station Road
- Clydebank, 23 Sylvania Way South
- Coatbridge, 20-22 Main Street
- Cotteridge, 20 Watford Road, Birmingham
- Crewe, 10 Market Street
- Derby, 826 Osmaston Road, Allenton
- Dewsbury, 22 Longcauseway
- Dudley, 258 Castle Street
- East Barnet, 276 East Barnet Road
- Edinburgh, 9-10 Ormiston Terrace, Corstorphine
- Epping, 197 High Street
- Fakenham, 26 Market Place
- Falkirk, 18 Vicar Street
- Galashiels, 55 High Street
- Gillingham, 90 High Street
- Glasgow, 420-424 Victoria Road
- Gosport, 98 High Street
- Gravesend, 34 New Road
- Halesowen, 79 High Street
- Harrogate, 24A Oxford Street
- Hazel Grove, 129B-C London Road, Stockport
- Hemel Hempstead, 101 Marlowes
- High Wycombe, 8 Church Street
- Hornchurch, 8 Station Lane
- Keswick, 24 Main Street
- Kings Lynn, 61 High Street
- Lancaster, 54-54A Market Street
- Leeds, 28 L&S Lane
- Lincoln, 254 High Street
- Lisburn, 4 Smithfield Square
- Louth, 20 Market Place
- Ludlow, 3 Castle Street
- Maidenhead, 101 High Street
- Maidstone, 19 Gabriels Hill
- Market Drayton, 27 High Street
- Melton Mowbray, 6 South Parade
- Merthyr, Tydfil 14 Graham Way
- Mill Hill, 37 The Broadway
- Moreton, 242 Hoylake Road
- Newark, 26 Stodman Street
- Newcastle, Under Lyme 19 Ironmarket
- Northwood, 38 Green Lane
- Paddock Wood, 5 Commercial Road
- Penrith, 10 Angel Lane
- Perth, 27 Scott Street
- Redditch, 4 Market Place
- Redruth, 71 Fore Street
- Retford, 25 Carolgate
- Ross On Wye, 11 Market Place
- Rotherham, 74 Effingham Street
- Rushden, 22 High Street
- Selby, 40A Gowthorpe
- Sevenoaks, 137 High Street
- Shrewsbury, 9 High Street
- Sidmouth, 19 Fore Street
- Skipton, 91 Caroline Square
- Slough, 8 Park Street
- Southend On Sea, 5 Warrior House, Southchurch Road
- St Ives, 6 High Street
- Stalybridge, 44A Grosvenor Road
- Stockport, 26 Princes Street
- Stoke, 44 Devonport Road, Plymouth
- Swansea, 19 Union Street
- Swindon, 28 Havelock Street
- Tiverton, 15 Bampton Street
- Urmston, 16 Station Road
- Welling, 26C Bellegrove Road
- Welwyn Garden City, 20 Howardsgate
- West Bromwich, 203 High Street
- Whitby, 70 Baxtergate
- Wick, 36 Bridge Street
- Wigston, 6 Bell Street
- Workington, 26-32 Murray Road
