Iceland announces store closures as dates and locations confirmed

Frozen food supermarket chain has confirmed the in the coming weeks, as part of ongoing changes to its retail footprint. The first to shut will be the branch in , which has served shoppers from its College Square site on Rose Street for the past decade.

That store is officially set to close on June 21. Following shortly after will be the Inverness store, located at the Rose Street Retail Park in the Scottish Highlands, which is scheduled to close its doors for good on July 12.

While Iceland has not disclosed the specific reasons for these closures, the retailer noted that decisions to shut sites are often based on various factors, including lease expirations or underperformance.

"Retailers regularly review their store estates and make changes accordingly," a spokesperson said.

"These decisions are never taken lightly."

Employees at both affected locations have been informed, with the company entering into a consultation process. Iceland says all workers impacted by the closures have been offered alternative roles elsewhere within the business.

The closures are part of a wider reshaping of Iceland's store portfolio. In recent months, the chain has closed several other sites, including its Welling branch in London, Borehamwood's Shenley Road store, and its Alphington Road location in Exeter.

Earlier this year, Iceland also shut its Derby Shopping Centre branch, although this was quickly replaced with a new site nearby on London Road.

Despite the closures, Iceland continues to expand in other areas. Just this week, a brand new supermarket opened its doors at Victoria Chambers on London Road in Derby.

The new branch promises an upgraded shopping experience and adds to the retailer's existing stores in Chaddesden and at the Kingsway Retail Park Food Warehouse.

These changes come as Iceland pushes forward with ambitious plans to grow its footprint across the UK. Earlier this year, the retailer announced it would be opening 20 new Iceland and Food Warehouse stores by the end of April, supported by its recently launched £100 million distribution centre at Omega Park in Warrington.

The state-of-the-art facility, developed in partnership with logistics giant GXO, serves around 350 stores across the North West, the Scottish borders, and Wales.

While some communities will be saying goodbye to their local Iceland store, the company insists that investment in new sites and logistics infrastructure will help better serve shoppers in the long run.