Oxfordshire: All the store closures in the last year

Russell and Bromley

Earlier in 2026, the business announced all but three of its 36 stores were at risk as they had not been bought in a rescue deal.

Next snapped up the luxury footwear business from administration in a rescue deal, but the future of most of the brand’s stores and 440 staff remained uncertain.

The store at the Oxford Westgate shopping centre closed in April

WHSmith in Oxford Station (Image: Newsquest)

TG Jones

Fears are growing for the future of UK Oxford’s TG Jones store after its owner reportedly drew up plans that could see up to 100 of its 480 branches close across the UK.

The Retail Gazette said the private equity firm is said to be preparing a major restructuring in a bid to avoid the chain’s potential collapse.

Claires’ at the Westgate in Oxford. (Image: Newsquest)

Claire’s Accessories

In April this year Claire’s has shut all its 154 high street shops across the UK and Ireland.

Administrators for the fashion accessories chain said that around 1,300 workers will be made redundant as a result.

At the end of last month both the Witney store and the Oxford store were closed for good.

READ MORE: New cycle lane in Oxfordshire town brandished ‘laughable’ by residents

The Longwall Beefeater in Cowley (Image: Oxford Mail)

Beefeaters and Brewers Fayre

Whitbread, which owns the Premier Inn hotel chain, has unveiled plans to shed around 3,800 roles in the UK and Ireland.

This will see it phase out its remaining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants as it redraws its five-year business plan in the wake of tax increases.

The Beefeaters in Oxfordshire are the Longwall in Cowley, the restaurant serving Kidlington near the airport, and the Applecart Beefeater next to the Premier Inn at Didcot.

River Island (Image: PA)

River Island

The brand’s bosses said the closures of 33 stores were part of a radical restructuring plan in a bid to reverse recent heavy losses due to a slump in trading.

The Oxford store closed on Sunday, January 18, while the Didcot shop shut permanently on Saturday, January 31.

Lloyds bank in Lancashire (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

Lloyds Bank

Lloyds bank is set to close its Didcot branch in June, driven by a shift towards digital banking and declining in-branch visits.

The bank is set to close over 150 branches between early 2026 and March 2027, with most of these primarily concentrated in Birmingham,

The Lloyds Banking Group also runs Lloyds, Halifax and the Bank of Scotland.

Cancer Research UK in Banbury (Image: Google Maps)

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK recently announced plans to close 88 of its charity shops by May 2026 as part of a restructuring to streamline operations and protect funding.

The charity aims to maintain around 320 high-performing shops and plans to open 12 new ‘superstores’ by 2028.

The closures include the store on Parsons Street, in Banbury.

NatWest in Abingdon (Image: Andy Ffrench)

NatWest

Following a move to online banking and less in person customers, NatWest is set to close 32 branches from May 12, 2027.

The branch in Market Place, Abingdon and Manorsfield Road, Bicester, have been affected with closures occurring last year.

Following these closures community pop up centres will be established to provide customers with help.

GAME, Poundland, New Look, Franco Manca, William Hill, Topps Tiles, Santander and The Original Factory Shop have all announced store closures recently.

However, no Oxford branches are affected yet.