A British fashion giant with more than 300 stores is set to close another high street shop on Wednesday. New Look’s branch in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, will shut forever on April 15, following a wave of closures last year.
Disappointed customers described the news as “shocking” in response to an update shared on the store’s social media page. Staff confirmed the decision was beyond their control, writing: “We are gutted that it is the end of our New Look journey, but unfortunately this is something that is out of our hands.” The store has launched a closing down sale with items discounted by 20%.
It follows a challenging time for the beloved fashion retailer, which has faced declining footfall and cost increases, like other high street businesses.
The retailer completely withdrew all operations in Ireland in February last year, concluding “it was no longer viable to continue trading” in the country. New Look said it had had to “navigate a tough external environment which has only become more unpredictable” at the time.
This, combined with 15 closures in Wales and England, meant the retailer lost 41 stores last year. The closures are said to have been influenced by a challenging Autumn Budget in 2024, when Rachel Reeves announced employers would have to increase their contributions for National Insurance. It coincided with an annual increase to minimum wage, a rising business rates bill, and surging energy costs.
A New Look spokesperson said physical shops were still a vital part of the business, speaking to the Metro. They said: “Our store estate is an important part of our business, alongside our best-in-class website and app. It is this omni-channel approach which allows us to best serve our 10 million customers, however they like to shop.”
The chain has already undergone major restructuring since 2018 when it operated 600 stores. According to the New Look website, it now has 338 stores across the UK and 1million New Look club members.
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