Full list of stores closing before end of February including New Look and Dobbies - and one in Greater Manchester

Several major high street retailers are preparing to shut numerous stores across the country, including Greater Manchester. Homebase has confirmed 33 store closures for February following its fall into administration in November 2024.

The DIY chain's future was partially secured when retail group CDS, owner of The Range, agreed to acquire around 70 stores. While some outlets were taken over by Sainsbury's and B&Q, others will unfortunately cease operations permanently.

In addition, gardening retailer Dobbies has announced another closure set for February, with its Aylesbury branch due to stop food sales. Its Northampton store is scheduled to follow suit on March 2.

This follows the closure of the Leicester branch on February 14. By the beginning of next month, Dobbies will have closed a total of 24 branches since last October, reports the Mirror.

Other notable closures include WHSmith closing four stores on February 15, one of which is the Bolton store, New Look shutting one branch on February 22, and Hollister closing one store on February 28. A comprehensive list of all upcoming February closures can be found below.

Recent reports highlight the changing face of the UK high street, with 13,479 retail stores closing their doors in 2024 - a significant 28% increase from 2023, as per The Centre for Retail Research. This equates to approximately 37 store closures per day.

Furthermore, over 17,000 stores are predicted to close this year as retailers brace for increased costs from April, due to higher employer National Insurance contributions and a rise in the minimum wage.

From April 2025, the National Insurance rate paid by companies will increase from 13.8% to 15%. Additionally, the earnings threshold at which employers