Boots UK store closures – which branches are closing and why?

BOOTS is a staple of the British high street, but many towns risk loosing their local chain. 

The makeup and pharmaceutical previously announced it would be closing 300 shops over the next year, leading to a string of closures over the past few years.  

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Over the past year, Boots has shut around 257 shops to take its store estate from around 2,200 down to 1,900 sites.

Below we explain how many Boots stores will close and where.

How many stores is Boots closing and why?

Plans to cull a number of Boots stores are being driven by its parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance. 

Its American owners made plans last June to wave goodbye to 300 stores as part of a cost cutting initiative to save £618m. 

This plan remains intact despite Boots reporting improving sales in the last quarter, as shoppers continue to treat themselves to small luxuries amid the cost of living crisis. 

A return to travel following the pandemic has also helped boost footfall in its numerous airport sites.

The health and beauty chain has previously said where stores are closing there is an alternative shop less than three miles away.

Boots last closed more than 200 stores over 18 months in 2019.

This saw roughly eight per cent of Boots high street branches close.

Many of the stores shut because they were loss-making and two-thirds of them were within walking distance of each other.

In 2020, Boots announced 48 opticians were closing with the loss of 4,000 jobs.

Boots recenlty confirmed to The Sun that 257 stores have now shut.

This means that the remaining 43 shops will soon close under the plans.

While it wouldn't disclose a full list of store closures coming ahead of this date, it said that most will take place when an affected store's lease expires.  

Where are the closures happening?

Boots has never given the list of the full 300 stores that will close. Here's what we know so far about some of the locations where branches that have gone for good. 

• Pool, Cornwall
• Cambrone, Cornwall
• Redruth, Cornwall
• Wood Street, Swindon, Wiltshire
• Clifton, Yorkshire
• Cliftonville, Kent
• Pemberton, Wigan
• Littlehampton, West Sussex
• Hough Lane, Layland, Lancashire
• Front Street, Prudhoe
• Rhos on Sea, Wales
• Colwyn Bay, Wales
• Portland Walk, Barrow
• Gestridge Road, Teignbridge
• Caerleon Road, Newport
• Chepstow Road, Newport
• Carlyon Road, St Austell, Cornwall
• St Blazey, Cornwall
• Lurgan
• Chard Road, Plymouth
• Mannamead Road, Plymouth
• Claremont Street, Plymouth
• Heathside Road, Woking
• UEA campus
• Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff
• Holywell, Flintshire (Wales)
• Windhill Road, Wakefield
• Upper Warrengate, Wakefield
• Glastonbury
• Uppingham Road, Leicester
• Guildford Road, Woking
• Kings Square, York
• Warminster
• Gorleston, Great Yarmouth
• High Row, Darlington
• Mudge Way, Plymouth
• Mount Pleasant, Exeter
• Kirkby Ashfield

Boots said in all cases there is an alternative store less than three miles away.

Affected team members have been offered opportunities in other stores in the local area.

Boots closed more than 200 stores over an eighteen month period starting in 2019.

This saw roughly eight per cent of Boots high street branches close.

Many of the stores shut because they were loss-making and two-thirds of them were within walking distance of each other.

What is happening to the British high street?

The news comes amid a challenging time for the whole of the UK’s retail sector.

Also the rising popularity in online shopping has meant people are favouring digital ordering over visiting a physical store.

Unseasonably wet weather has also deterred shoppers from hitting the high street. This ongoing issue has seen brands such as Paperchase, and The Body Shop, go bust.

However, a number of retailers are planning to grow their portfolio, so it is not all doom and gloom.

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