Boots becomes latest high street casuality with over 200 stores to close

More than 200 Boots stores across the country are facing closure in an effort to cut costs.

Boots, which is owned by American firm Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), may close more than 200 stores as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

Concentrating on areas with more than one store, the affected branches will be reviewed over a 12 to 18 month period, with Boots saying did not have “a major programme envisaged” but always examining “underperforming stores and opportunities for consolidation”.

It added: “We are being realistic about the future and that we will need to be agile to adapt to the changing landscape.”

The health and beauty chain is the latest in a string of high street retailers to fall on tough times in 2019, including department store Debenhams, retail group Arcadia, fashion store Select and restaurant chain Jamie’s Italian.

The brand has confirmed that it will try and relocate affected staff to existing or new stores where possible.

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