River Island with 220 UK stores closing branch after 10 years | UK | News

A high street fashion retailer is set to close one of its long-standing stores this weekend. River Island has confirmed that its branch at the Friars Walk shopping center in Newport, Wales, will close its doors for the final time on Sunday 19 April. The store first opened next to the mall in 2015, meaning it has been serving customers for over 10 years.

The closure is part of a wider reshuffle for the brand, which operates more than 220 stores in the UK and Ireland. In recent months, the retailer has already closed more than 30 stores as part of restructuring efforts aimed at stabilizing the business.

Shoppers have been offered up to 50% off in a clearance sale as the Newport branch prepares to close. South Wales Argus reports.

An ad appeared in the store’s window at the beginning of this month. It reads: “This store is closing (Sunday, April 19). Thanks for shopping with us – we had so much fun!”

“You can still shop the latest trends at riverisland.com and nearby locations. Love, RI.”

The closure sparked outrage from local shoppers, with some expressing disappointment at losing another well-known name from the city centre.

Friars Walk is a 390,000-square-foot shopping center over multiple floors that opened in 2015. The complex also includes an entertainment street and a soft play area.

It is home to a variety of high street brands, restaurants and a cinema. The center launched with more than 20 high street brands but the range has changed in recent years and only a few remain.

Marks & Spencer has confirmed that its store in Friars Walk will close towards the end of June following the end of its lease, while Smiggle closed its doors in January earlier this year.

However, Next recently confirmed it would extend its lease and remain at Friars Walk for the foreseeable future.