AN OUTDOOR clothing chain with over 300 branches has launched a huge closing-down sale as a store shuts for good

The major clothing brand has put up huge signs saying “Everything Must Go” after confirming the branch’s permanent closure.

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Trespass revealed that they would be closing their only store in Coventry.

The popular high-street retailer has not yet announced whether jobs will be affected.

The Sun has contacted Trespass for comment.

The Activewear brand employs more than 1500 people in the UK but has shut around half a dozen stores this year.

Trespass confirmed back in July 2023 that six of its UK outlets would shut down soon.

A year later, the branch in Norwich’s Chantry Palace shopping centre would shut, with “closing down” signs appearing in the windows.

The date of the closure was not specified at the time, but local media reported that the shutters came down for the last time on September 13.

Customers took to social media to share their sadness at the end of the store.

One wrote: “The days of high street shopping are over unless you are a coffee shop, restaurant or some large store with a good national reputation.”

However, all is not lost for the shop, as bosses announced it would move to a new location for the brand to maintain a presence in the city.

The new location will be in the Castle Quarter, with an opening date to be confirmed.

As for the now-vacant unit in Chantry Place, general manager Paul McCarthy said: “Trespass is leaving the centre and we are in talks with other retailers about the space.

“Just last week we welcomed Pop Specs to the centre and Ben & Jerry’s will be opening very soon too.”

The new tenant for the site has not yet been confirmed.

What is happening to the high street?

The Trespass news comes amid a wave of store closures across the UK.

Retailers are being squeezed by spiralling rents and mortgage rates as well as spikes in running costs.

That, combined with the rapid march towards online shopping as the dominant model in the sector, is leaving physical stores on the brink.

Since the start of last year alone high street favourites like Wilko, Paperchase and Ted Baker have all called in the administrators.

Elsewhere, Boots has announced plans to slash its branch numbers by 300.

But there are still some rays of sunshine in the market, with budget supermarkets Aldi and Lidl eyeing up hundreds of new stores between them.

Retail woes

Other retailers, such as Homebase, Boots, and Clarks, have been reducing the number of their high-street branches.

Rising rents, energy bills, and the cost of living have also caused many retailers to fail.

Several big retailers have fallen into administration in the past year, including Wilko, Paperchase, and most recently, The Body Shop and Ted Baker.

The Body Shop collapsed into administration on February 13, putting its almost 198 branches at risk of closure.

Since then, it has closed down 82 locations.

However, it’s not all bad news for the high street, as several other retailers and hospitality venues have plans to expand.

Beer giant Heineken announced plans to invest £39million to help reopen 62 previously shuttered British pubs.

Aldi has announced that it will open 35 new UK stores.

The openings form part of Aldi‘s long-term target of 1,500 stores in the UK.

The supermarket is set to invest £550million in expanding its UK footprint this year alone.

Aldi said each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average.

In recent months, Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores as it seeks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

B&M plans to open “not less than” 45 brand new stores across the UK in each of the next two consecutive years.

Purepay Retail Limited, the parent company of Bonmarché, Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM), and Peacocks, has said it wants to open 100 new high-street stores over the next 18 months.

It has yet to give the exact locations where it will open the 100 stores or when they will open.

One of the UK’s favourite bakery chains, Greggs, has exclusively revealed to The Sun plans to open more outlet branches by the end of 2025.

Home Bargains, which was running just under 600 branches as of last June, has said it wants to “eventually have between 800 and 1,000 retail outlets open”.

The major discounter has stopped short of saying when it wants to reach the 1,000 store target, however.

Primark is also opening new branches and investing and renovating more than a dozen of its existing shops.

Screwfix is set to open 40 new stores nationwide as its owner, Kingfisher, seeks to expand the DIY brand’s national presence.

The brand opened two new stores in March, and a further three new shops opened last month.

Retailers closing stores in 2024

RETAILERS have been hit by soaring inflation and a downturn in spending due to the cost of living crisis.

High energy costs and a move to shopping online are also taking their toll.

Some high street shops have closed due to businesses opening up in different locations such as larger retail parks.

Shops may also close due to a number of other reasons, such as rising rents.

We explain which retailers are closing in 2024:

• Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
• B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, with two stores closing this year due to leases not being renewed. It has plans to open more in 2024 too.
• Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
• Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
• Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
• Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
• Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
• M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops.
• Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
• WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shut eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.