Salisbury in Shock as Iconic Fashion Store Closes Doors

Joules, a mainstay of British fashion for over three decades, will shutter its Salisbury store on New Canal this Easter Monday, drawing a close to a significant chapter for the Wiltshire high street. The store’s closure comes after years of adapting to the relentless pressures facing UK retail, including shifting consumer habits, the rise of online shopping, and the lingering effects of the pandemic on footfall. The shop window now bears a heartfelt message: “We’ve made the choice to close this store on April 21. We appreciate your support throughout the years, and remember, you can always shop with us online at Joules.com.” The announcement has left many Salisbury residents disappointed, as another familiar name disappears from the city centre.
A representative from Joules in Salisbury explained, “We have been searching for a new location to move to for some time, but we haven’t found anything suitable. Honestly, we just want to leave this road [New Canal]; it feels quite lifeless.” The retail space will now be marketed by Woolley & Wallis estate agents, underlining the broader trend of high street transformation as traditional stores close or relocate in search of better prospects.
Joules, established in 1989, is renowned for its vibrant, British-designed clothing and accessories. Despite its strong brand identity, the company has faced mounting challenges. In 2022, Joules entered administration, a fate that has become increasingly common among UK retailers. The following year, the brand was acquired by Next for £34 million, a move that safeguarded 100 stores but could not prevent 19 locations from closing, affecting 133 employees nationwide. The restructuring also saw the closure of other branches, including those in London Stratford, Oban, and Bracknell, as the company sought to streamline operations and adapt to the evolving retail landscape.
Industry data reveals that at least 133 major high street stores across the UK have closed or are scheduled to close in 2025, reflecting a broader contraction in the sector. Retail giants such as WHSmith, Homebase, Starbucks, Greggs, and Iceland have all reduced their physical footprints, either by selling off units or closing underperforming branches. Some sites have been repurposed by other retailers like Wickes, B&Q, and Dobbies, while others have shut their doors for good.
The Salisbury closure is part of a wider pattern: stores in Chelmsford, Essex, are set to close at the end of April due to ongoing financial difficulties, while other locations have cited dramatic drops in footfall—up to 70% in some cases—as a key reason for shutting down. A spokesperson for one such store remarked, “Despite huge efforts to entice the good people of Arnold and surrounding areas into the shop, we have not succeeded. Our footfall is as much as 70% down on previous years, and we have to face facts that the shop is not what people want.”
The challenges facing Joules and other retailers are underpinned by changing consumer preferences, with a significant shift towards online shopping. According to the Office for National Statistics, internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales in the UK have remained elevated since the pandemic, hovering around 25-30% in early 2025. This shift has forced many traditional retailers to rethink their strategies, invest in digital platforms, and reconsider the viability of their brick-and-mortar locations.
Founder and CEO Tom Joule described the decision to close the Salisbury store as “difficult,” following a comprehensive review of the company’s retail operations. The brand’s acquisition by Next was seen as a lifeline, with Lord Simon Wolfson, Next’s chief executive, expressing optimism about Joules’ future, highlighting the brand’s “exceptional product, marketing and brand-building skills with Next’s Total Platform infrastructure.” However, even with this support, the realities of the current retail climate have made some closures unavoidable.
As the Salisbury community prepares to say farewell to its Joules store, the brand encourages loyal customers to continue shopping online, reflecting the new reality for many high street favourites in the digital age. The closure of Joules in Salisbury is emblematic of the broader upheaval facing the UK’s retail sector, as established brands grapple with unprecedented challenges and the high street continues to evolve in response to changing times.