Retail giant to close shop in UK seaside town in fresh blow to high street
A high street giant is shutting another store due to "challenging" times, having already shut nearly 40 shops.
A retail giant is closing one of their high street stores, after closing dozens more this year. Shoe Zone is shutting the doors of its store in Rhyl, Wales, following a “challenging year”. There is no firm closure date for the shop in Wales, but “closing down” signs have been placed on the front windows.
The next closest store is in Parc Llandudno Shopping Centre. The brand said its estate fell from 297 to 269 in the 52 weeks to September 2025, having closed nearly 40 stores and opened 11 new sites in that time. Bosses highlighted pressures from Rachel Reeves' October Budget when the Government announced it would hike National Insurance contributions for employers. The retailer reported that its revenue fell by 7.6% compared to the same period last year, to £149.1 million.
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In May, the chain said it had to close “unviable” sites following "challenging trading conditions" in the first two months of the financial year.
Citing the October Budget, the retailer said: “These additional costs have resulted in the planned closure of a number of stores that have now become unviable.”
In an update last month, chairman Charles Smith said: “This was a challenging year, particularly in the second half, as consumer confidence fell following the Government’s October 2024 Budget.
"With persistent inflation, higher interest rates and reduced levels of disposable income all contributing to general negative economic and consumer sentiment in the UK.
“Sales were good when there was a clear reason to buy, such as the warm summer and the Back-To-School season. However, overall discretionary spending remains subdued as consumers exercise greater caution in their expenditure.”
Shoezone isn’t the only brand struggling. Huge chains, such as Poundland and Claire’s, have closed dozens of stores this year. In 2024, 12,804 chain outlets closed (35 per day) and 25 were opened daily, marking the second fewest closures in a decade.
