High street retailers across the UK started 2020 facing tough conditions as customers increasingly looked towards online competitors, but no-one could have predicted the level of turmoil in store. The coronavirus pandemic has led to temporary closures, social distancing and dwindling tourist numbers, which all weighed on UK towns and cities - including in Leeds. A raft of retailers cut jobs, closed stores and secured restructuring deals to survive. However, for some companies, none of these measures were sufficient to preserve their place on the high street. Here are the biggest retailers to disappear from Leeds since March 2020:
1. Topshop/Topman
All Topshop stores have shut for good after Deloitte, administrators for Arcadia group, sold the brand and stock to online retailer Asos. There were three Topshop and Topman stores in Leeds - located in Briggate, White Rose Shopping Centre and Kirkstall Bridge shopping park. Photo: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire
2. Miss Selfridge
Along with Topshop, Topman and HIIT, Miss Selfridge has been sold to Asos closing all Leeds outlets. A total of 2,500 jobs have been axed as a result of the sale. Photo: Google
3. Burton
Menswear store Burton is another casualty in the Arcadia group. It was announced today that all stores will close after the brand was snapped up by online retailer Boohoo. Burton stores were located in Trinity Leeds, White Rose and Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park Photo: Google
4. Dorothy Perkins
Burton's sister brand Dorothy Perkins has also closed its Leeds stores, following the sale of the brand to Boohoo Photo: PA Wire/Carl Court
5. Wallis
Wallis has also been sold to Boohoo - closing all stores including the Kirkstall Bridge outlet and White Rose shops. A total of 2,450 Wallis, Burton and Dorothy Perkins staff across the UK had their jobs axed following the sale. Photo: Google
6. Debenhams
Boohoo said it had bought the brand and website of department store chain Debenhams for £55 million. But it did not take on the company’s 118 stores - Debenhams in Leeds is now selling all its stock in a last closing down sale.