ONE of Ireland’s most beloved high street retailers is set to close its doors for the final time tomorrow, with two more Northern Irish locations set to shut in months.
River Island’s Henry Street store will close on Friday along with two other locations on the island of Ireland early next year.
River Island has announced major closures in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland[/caption]
It comes as part of a wider restructuring plan across the UK.
The retailer will be closing its shops in Lisburn and Bloomfield’s Shopping Centre in Bangor.
The closures will come in January and 31 other locations around the UK will be shutting as well.
And hundreds of jobs are expected to be cut.
Out of the 230 stores across the UK and Northern Ireland, 97 won’t be impacted by the closures.
Sky News has reported that the restructuring plan will be put to business creditors in August.
And the company is set to renegotiate rents with the landlords of 70 other shops.
It’s also been announced that the Banbury branch will be closing on June 28.
The announcement of the store closures in Northern Ireland comes just after the news that they will also be closing locations in the Republic of Ireland.
The fashion giant owns 24 locations with multiple branches in Dublin alone.
But one of their biggest locations, on busy Henry Street in the capital’s city centre, is set to close.
The announcement was made just days ago on a poster in the store front.
It reads: “This store is closing.
“This store will be closing from Friday 27th June.”
But they told customers that shopping at the store will still be possible online and in person.
Customers were reassured that they can visit the nearby Grafton Street location or visit the online store.
But customers were devastated and took to social media to share their disappointment.
Reacting to a post on Facebook sharing the news, one person said: “First it was new look now this I’m pretty sure the store next will be going… I would actually cry if next will be shut down.”
Another commented: “Really sad news. One by one are closing.”
And a third penned: “We will have no shops left in Ireland.”
