ANOTHER big name on the high street is shutting its doors for good – adding to a growing list of store closures this year.
The latest blow is in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, where New Look will close its Brunswick Centre store on Tuesday, September 17.
A Facebook post confirmed the news: “NEW LOOK TO CLOSE FOR GOOD IN SCARBOROUGH.
“New Look is one of the last remaining stores within the Brunswick Centre, which will officially close to the public on Tuesday, September 17, 2025.”
It added that while shoppers had hoped the brand might relocate elsewhere, the company had now ruled this out.
In a statement, New Look said: “Unfortunately there are currently no plans to relocate this store, it will be closing down for the foreseeable future.
“Our store estate is an important part of our business, alongside our best-in-class website and app.
“It is this omni-channel approach which allows us to best serve our 8 million customers, however they like to shop.
“On occasion we do have to close stores, either due to the landlord’s request or because the site becomes unviable.
“However, we always remain on the lookout for appropriate new opportunities across the country and continue to invest in our existing store estate.”
Locals were quick to react online.
One wrote: “One of the reasons I go to Scarborough over Filey and Whitby is its High Street, especially New Look!”
Another said: “Feel sorry for the staff.”
And a third added: “So many empty shops they could have relocated too.
“There will be nothing left in town centre soon but vape shops / cafes and charity shops.”
This latest closure follows a string of shut downs by the retailer.
In just weeks, New Look will also close its Hamilton, Scotland branch on July 1, with locals calling it the “end of an era”.
A shopper posted: “Aw I’m gutted to see it go! Spent a good 10 years in there over the years.”
A spokesperson confirmed: “Our store in Hamilton is set close on July 1.
“We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years.
“We hope customers continue to shop with us online at newlook.com, where our full product ranges can be found.”
The chain will then shut its Neath, Wales branch on August 6, sparking more sadness from shoppers.
One blamed online shopping, claiming it has “killed the high street”, while another admitted they “couldn’t believe it.”
The retailer has already closed 12 sites this year and previously warned almost 100 could be at risk as part of cost-cutting moves.
Why are retailers closing shops?
EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.
The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.
In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.
Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.
The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.
Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few.
What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.
They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.