Northern Ireland Cancer Research shops to close along with 88 high street stores across the UK affecting jobs

Staff, volunteers, and shoppers brace for big changes

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.

placeholder image — Cancer Research UK set to close stores

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.

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

Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at yourworld.net/submit. It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.