As another high street chain announces it will be shutting stores, shoppers want to know if M&Co is closing down.
2023 has dealt many blows to high street shopping, as the cost of living crisis, ongoing effects of the pandemic and increased interest in online shopping have all resulted in a severe loss of footfall in stores. The challenging landscape means a number of TK Maxx stores are closing, along with B&M store closures too, while popular stationary chain Paperchase is closing all its stores for good.
Now, another chain has announced it will be shutting down. Clothes retailer M&Co - which is one of Scotland's best-know clothing brands - is set to close all of its 170 stores this spring, with the loss of almost 2,000 jobs. The news has left shoppers wondering why M&Co is closing and which sites will be shutting for good.
Is M&Co closing down?
M&Co is closing all of its 170 stores in spring 2023. The news comes after the company - which was previously known as Mackays - appointed administrators for the second time at the end of 2022.
Though the brand has been bought by AK Retail Holdings - which also owns Yours Clothing - the purchase did not include physical stores, meaning the stores will now close down at Easter and almost 2,000 jobs will be lost.
Full list of M&Co stores closing down
- Airdrie
- Alexandria
- Alnwick
- Alton
- Ashbourne
- Attleborough
- Ayr
- Banff
- Beccles
- Bathgate
- Bellshill
- Belper
- Berwick
- Beverly
- Bexhill
- Billericay
- Billingham
- Blairgowrie
- Blandford Forum
- Bognor
- Bridgnorth
- Bridlington
- Bridport
- Brighhouse
- Bromsgrove
- Broughty Ferry
- Bucki
- Buckingham
- Burgess Hill
- Calne
- Camborne
- Canvey Island
- Castle Douglas
- Chesham
- Chester Le Street
- Christchurch
- Cleveleys
- Clitheroe
- Congleton
- Cosham
- Crewkerne
- Cromer
- Crowborough
- Dartmouth
- Deal
- Didcot
- Dingwall
- Diss
- Dorcheshter
- Driffield
- Dunoon
- East Grinstead
- East Retford
- Egham
- Elgin
- Exmouth
- Fakenham
- Farnborough
- Faversham
- Fleet
- Forfar
- Formby
- Fort William
- Garstand
- Glenrothes
- Gosport
- Guisborough
- Haddington
- Haverhill
- Hawick
- Helensborough
- Henley on Thames
- Heswall
- Hexcham
- Hitchin
- Hove
- Hunstanton
- Ilkley
- Inchinnan OSC
- Inverness
- Inverurie
- Irvine
- Isle of Man
- Johnstone
- Kirkintilloch
- Lanark
- Largs
- Launceston
- Lerwick
- Lewes
- Liskeard
- Llandudno
- Louth
- Malton
- March
- Market Harborough
- Marlow
- Marple
- Matlock
- Melton Mowbray]Midsome Norton
- Milngavie
- Minehead
- Monmouth
- Montrose
- Musselburgh
- Nailsea
- Nairn
- Nantwich
- Newport
- Newquar
- Newton Mearns
- Northallerton
- Oban
- Orkney
- Oswestry
- Otley
- Paisley
- Penarth
- Pershore
- Perth
- Peterhead
- Petersfield
- Portishead
- Rayleigh
- Rickmansworth
- Ringwood
- Ripon
- Romsey
- Ryde
- Saffron Walden
- Saltcoats
- Sandbach
- Seaford
- Shaftesbury
- Sidmouth
- Sittingbourne
- Sleaford
- Sw Andrews
- St Ives
- St Neots
- Stamford
- Stonehaven
- Stornoway
- Stourport on Severn
- Stowmarket
- Stroud
- Sudbury
- Surbiton Tavistock
- Teighmouth
- Tenby
- Tewkesbury
- Thornbury
- Thurso
- Troon
- Upminster
- Uttoxeter
- Warminster
- Wells
- Welshpool
- West Kirby
- Wetherby
- Whitby
- Whitehaven
- Whistable
- Wick
- Wickford
- Wishaw
- Wutham
- Wokingham
- Woodbridge
Why are M&Co stores closing down?
M&Co stores are closing because the retailer fell into administration at the end of 2022. The retail giant was put up for sale by administrators Teneo in December with an auction deadline for interested buyers, but the company that bought the brand did not buy its physical stores.
Administrators blame M&Co's collapse on the sharp increase in costs and lower sales caused by tighter household budgets.
The news that M&Co stores would be closing was announced on the chain's social media pages. A statement on Facebook read: "Unfortunately we haven't received the news we would have hoped for during our administration period, and would like to share this news with you.
"As we haven't received any funded, deliverable offers that would result in the transfer of the company's stores or staff to a potential buyer, this means that all of our stores will close."
2022 was not the first time M&Co found itself in this position, after the chain previously went into administration in 2020, when it lost 47 stores and 380 staff. At the time, assets were immediately bought back by the family that built it up.
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