Brighton’s high street will lose another big name early next year as fashion retailer River Island confirmed it will close its Western Road branch in January 2026.
The move is part of a nationwide shake-up that will see 33 River Island stores shut their doors for good, after the chain posted a £33.2 million pre-tax loss last year and reported a 19% drop in sales.
A court-approved restructuring plan, managed by PricewaterhouseCoopers and backed by a £40 million investment from the company’s owners, will see the Brighton store trade through the busy Christmas season before it closes. Another 71 branches remain under threat unless landlords agree to steep rent reductions.
For Brighton, it’s yet another sign of a retail sector in trouble. Over the past decade the city has already lost Debenhams, Topshop, GAP, HMV and British Home Stores. Many of their former units remain vacant or have been replaced by discount shops and coffee chains.
Western Road, once a bustling strip of major high street names, has been hit particularly hard. While independents and boutique retailers still draw shoppers, high commercial rents and business rates have made it increasingly difficult for big brands to survive.
River Island says it hopes to redeploy staff from closing stores to other locations, but the company admits it is having to adapt rapidly to the way customers now shop — with more than half of sales now made online.
The closure will leave a noticeable gap in Brighton’s retail landscape and raises questions over how the city centre will adapt as the high street continues to change.
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