Cancer Research UK: shop closures announced as 88 high street stores set to close, affecting jobs - full list

• Cancer Research UK will close 88 high street shops by May 2026, with 100 more expected by April 2027
• Around 600 staff and up to 3,000 volunteers could be affected by the closures
• Rising costs, declining footfall, and competition from resale apps like Vinted and Depop are driving the restructure
• The charity plans to focus on 320 high-performing shops and open 12 new ‘superstores’ by 2028
• The full list of affected stores spans towns and cities across the UK

A recognisable UK charity shop name has announced plans to close 88 of its high street stores across the country by May 2026.

Cancer Research UK has said its restructure will streamline operations and ensure more funds are directed towards its life-saving research. A further 100 shops are expected to shut by April 2027.

Approximately 600 paid staff members and up to 3,000 volunteers could be affected by the closures, though the charity has said it is committed to supporting those impacted, and will provide clear information and assistance throughout the process.

The decision comes as a shift towards online shopping and the popularity of resale platforms like Vinted and Depop continue to reduce footfall in physical stores.

Selling on these platforms is quick and can be done entirely from home, while charity shops require someone to physically drop items off, and customers have to go out to browse.

Charity shops also usually sell donated items at low prices, so there’s little incentive for people to donate items they could sell online for more money.

Many traditional high street charity shop locations are experiencing reduced customer visits as a result, making some shops unprofitable, while increased National Insurance contributions and inflation continue to raise staffing and energy expenses.

Cancer Research UK is focusing on maintaining around 320 high-performing shops and plans to open 12 new "superstores" by 2028 - larger, out-of-town stores that will be designed to offer more space and value to customers.

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The full list of Cancer Research UK stores closing by May 2026:

• Aberdeen – 19 Rosemount Viaduct, AB25 1NE
• Airdrie – 5 Bank Street, ML6 6AF
• Balham – 168 Balham High Road, SW12 9BW
• Ballymena – 49 Ballymoney Street, BT43 6AN
• Banbury – 9 Parsons Street, OX16 5LW
• Barnstaple – Gammon Walk, EX31 1DJ
• Belfast – 17 Bloomfield Avenue, BT4 1RX
• Biggleswade – 24 High Street, SG18 0JL
• Birkenhead – Borough Pavement, CH41 2XX
• Birmingham (Erdington) – 245 High Street, B23 6SS
• Bognor – 1–2 Clock Walk, PO21 1SG
• Bolton – 6 Newport Street, BL1 1NB
• Bradford – 34–36 Ivegate, BD1 1SW
• Burton-on-Trent – 25 Station Street, DE14 1AU
• Chesham – 34 High Street, HP5 1EP
• Clevedon – 1 Station Road, BS21 6NH
• Clydebank – 23 Sylvania Way South, G81 2UA
• Coatbridge – 20–22 Main Street, ML5 3AE
• Cotteridge (Birmingham) – 20 Watford Road, B30 1JA
• Crewe – 10 Market Street, CW1 2EG
• Derby (Allenton) – 826 Osmaston Road, DE24 9AA
• Dewsbury – 22 Longcauseway, WF12 8EN
• Dudley – 258 Castle Street, DY1 1LQ
• East Barnet – 276 East Barnet Road, EN4 8TD
• Edinburgh (Corstorphine) – 9–10 Ormiston Terrace, EH12 7SJ
• Epping – 197 High Street, CM16 4BL
• Fakenham – 26 Market Place, NR21 9BS
• Falkirk – 18 Vicar Street, FK1 1JL
• Galashiels – 55 High Street, TD1 1RZ
• Gillingham – 90 High Street, ME7 1AX
• Glasgow – 420–424 Victoria Road, G42 8YZ
• Gosport – 98 High Street, PO12 1DS
• Gravesend – 34 New Road, DA11 0AB
• Halesowen – 79 High Street, B63 3BQ
• Harrogate – 24A Oxford Street, HG1 1PU
• Hazel Grove (Stockport) – 129B–C London Road, SK7 4HH
• Hemel Hempstead – 101 Marlowes, HP1 1LF
• High Wycombe – 8 Church Street, HP11 2DE
• Hornchurch – 8 Station Lane, RM12 6NJ
• Keswick – 24 Main Street, CA12 5JD
• King’s Lynn – 61 High Street, PE30 1AY
• Lancaster – 54–54A Market Street, LA1 1HS
• Leeds – 28 Lands Lane, LS1 6LB
• Lincoln – 254 High Street, LN2 1HW
• Lisburn – 4 Smithfield Square, BT28 1AD
• Louth – 20 Market Place, LN11 9PD
• Ludlow – 3 Castle Street, SY8 1AS
• Maidenhead – 101 High Street, SL6 1JX
• Maidstone – 19 Gabriels Hill, ME15 6HR
• Market Drayton – 27 High Street, TF9 1QF
• Melton Mowbray – 6 South Parade, LE13 0PU
• Merthyr Tydfil – 14 Graham Way, CF47 8BT
• Mill Hill – 37 The Broadway, NW7 3DA
• Moreton – 242 Hoylake Road, CH46 6AD
• Newark – 26 Stodman Street, NG24 1AW
• Newcastle-under-Lyme – 19 Ironmarket, ST5 1RF
• Northwood – 38 Green Lane, HA6 2QB
• Paddock Wood – 5 Commercial Road, TN12 6EN
• Penrith – 10 Angel Lane, CA11 7BP
• Perth – 27 Scott Street, PH1 5TQ
• Redditch – 4 Market Place, B98 8AA
• Redruth – 71 Fore Street, TR15 2AF
• Retford – 25 Carolgate, DN22 6BZ
• Ross-on-Wye – 11 Market Place, HR9 5NU
• Rotherham – 74 Effingham Street, S65 1AL
• Rushden – 22 High Street, NN10 0PW
• Selby – 40A Gowthorpe, YO8 4ET
• Sevenoaks – 137 High Street, TN13 1UX
• Shrewsbury – 9 High Street, SY1 1SP
• Sidmouth – 19 Fore Street, EX10 8AL
• Skipton – 91 Caroline Square, BD23 1DA
• Slough – 8 Park Street, SL1 1PD
• Southend-on-Sea – 5 Warrior House, Southchurch Road, SS1 2LZ
• St Ives – 6 High Street, TR26 1RR
• Stalybridge – 44A Grosvenor Road, SK15 1RR
• Stockport – 26 Princes Street, SK1 1SE
• Stoke (Plymouth) – 44 Devonport Road, PL3 4DH
• Swansea – 19 Union Street, SA1 3EH
• Swindon – 28 Havelock Street, SN1 1DQ
• Tiverton – 15 Bampton Street, EX16 6AA
• Urmston – 16 Station Road, M41 9JN
• Welling – 26C Bellegrove Road, DA16 3PU
• Welwyn Garden City – 20 Howardsgate, AL8 6BQ
• West Bromwich – 203 High Street, B70 7QZ
• Whitby – 70 Baxtergate, YO21 1BL
• Wick – 36 Bridge Street, KW1 4NG
• Wigston – 6 Bell Street, LE18 1AD
• Workington – 26–32 Murray Road, CA14 2AG

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