Boots stores closure: First of 300 shops begin to close - here's the full list
7 August 2023, 15:51 | Updated: 7 August 2023, 15:57
Beauty and health giants Boots has confirmed a list of huge store closures, revealing the first first shops that will shut along with dates - is your local on the list?
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Boots confirmed earlier this year they would be closing a staggering 300 stores as they fail to escape the grasp of the cost of living crisis taking over the UK.
Another victim of the high street, which also includes Wilko's and Wetherspoons, the beauty and health giant, has finally revealed the first collection of stores which will close before 2023 is out.
Read the latest list of Boots shops that will close here
Closing for good, the chain, which is popular for meal deals, cosmetic counters and their pharmacy options, will be waving goodbye to some of their stores as early as the end of July, with some not officially closing until around Christmas.
The confirmation comes as part of a huge closure plan which will see Boots go from 2,200 stores to just 1,900. All staff are currently being offered alternative roles within the company.
Read more: High street retailer Wilko on brink of collapse putting 12,000 jobs and 400 stores at risk
A spokesperson for Boots said: "We can confirm that the stores listed are part of the Boots store consolidation programme previously announced.
"All team members from these stores will be offered alternative roles."
Which Boots stores are closing this year?
With a total of 300 to close, the first eight stores confirmed to permanently close are:
- Heathside Rd, Woking: Closed
- Salford Shopping Centre, Greater Manchester: Closed
- Church Street, Malvern: Closed
- The Port Arcades Shopping Centre, Ellesmere: Closed
- King William Street, London: Closed
- UEA campus: Closed
- Heathside Road, Woking: Closed
- Hamlet Ct Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea: Closed
- Holywell, Flintshire: August 26
- Windhill Road, Wakefield: Closing 6th October
- Upper Warrengate, Wakefield: Closing 7th October
- Glastonbury: Closing 13th October
- Guildford Road, Woking: Closing end of October
- Gorleston, Great Yarmouth: November
The retail giant has said in most cases where a store is shutting, there is an alternative less than three miles away.
Why is Boots closing so many stores?
As the cost of living crisis continues to grip the country and inflation stays high, Boots is just the latest high street store to confirm a plan to stay afloat.
Last month in its quarterly results, Boots said: "Evolving the store estate in this way allows Boots to concentrate its team members where they are needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up to date environment."
They also added they would be "consolidating" stores in close proximity to one another as part of their plan.
Since 2019, Boots has already closed around 200 stores along with 48 optician services.
