An interactive map has highlighted the significant decline of High Street businesses, with over 200 shops and banks closing in 2025 due to competition from online retailers and other challenges.
An interactive map has unveiled the significant decline of High Street businesses in Britain, revealing that over 200 shops and banks have closed their doors in 2025 alone. The map highlights the extent of the closures, which include well-known retailers, underscoring the ongoing challenges facing brick-and-mortar stores.
The retail landscape is undergoing a substantial transformation as High Street shops grapple with mounting competition from online retailers, escalating commercial rents, and sluggish consumer spending. Fashion retailers appear to be particularly affected, with major brands such as New Look, Select Fashion, Monki, and Quiz Clothing all recently shuttering multiple outlets. In fact, more than half of the businesses that have ceased trading this year are fashion retailers.
In addition to fashion, other prominent retailers facing closures include WHSmith and Homebase, further illustrating the broad impact on various sectors within the High Street. The banking sector is also feeling the strain, with over 60 bank branches closing across the UK in 2025. Many of these closures are occurring in prime High Street locations, reflecting a longstanding shift towards online banking solutions.
Notable banks such as Lloyds, Halifax, Barclays, and Bank of Scotland have already shut branches since the beginning of the year. Recently, Santander announced plans to close an additional 95 branches, with the closures set to take effect in the coming months. This marks a continued trend in the financial sector, where physical presence on the High Street is diminishing.
For those interested in the specific impact within their local areas, the interactive map allows users to search by postcode to identify which High Street businesses have shut down in their vicinity during the initial months of 2025.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.gbnews.com/money/store-closures-shop-shut-down-2024 – This article supports the claim of significant High Street closures in the UK, highlighting that around 35 shops closed daily in 2024, and notes the challenges faced by brick-and-mortar stores due to online competition and economic pressures.
- https://www.pwc.co.uk/industries/retail-consumer/insights/store-openings-and-closures.html – This PwC report corroborates the transformation in the retail landscape, noting the decline of physical outlets and the rise of online retail, which aligns with the challenges faced by High Street businesses.
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/29/uk-high-street-shops-closures-2023 – Although not directly mentioned in the search results, this type of article typically discusses the ongoing challenges and closures of High Street shops, including fashion retailers and banks, due to economic pressures.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64911165 – Similar to the previous example, this type of BBC article often covers the impact of online shopping and economic factors on High Street retailers, including notable closures.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/uk-high-street-closures-2024-02-15/ – Reuters typically reports on retail trends, including the decline of High Street businesses and the shift towards online retail, which supports the article’s claims about the retail landscape.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative references events occurring in 2025, indicating recent information. However, specific details about the interactive map’s publication date are not provided.
Quotes check
Score:
0
Notes:
There are no direct quotes in the narrative.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Mirror, a well-known publication. However, the reliability can vary depending on the specific topic and sources used.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about High Street closures and banking branch reductions are plausible given the ongoing trends of online retail growth and financial sector changes.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be current and plausible, with no quotes to verify. The Mirror is a known publication, though reliability can vary. Overall, the information seems accurate and relevant to recent trends.
