Two major high street retailers are shutting their doors in a significant blow to a West Midlands shopping centre. JD Sports has confirmed it will leave the Gracechurch Centre in Sutton Coldfield in late January 2026, hot on the heels of fashion chain River Island's imminent departure.
A Double Blow for Town Centre Shoppers
The exit of JD Sports, a nationwide sports retailer, comes as a sudden announcement. Signs have appeared in the shop window stating "sorry to say bye" and directing customers to alternative branches at Birmingham Fort and Tamworth. A staff member at the Sutton Coldfield store pointed to the landlord wanting "too much rent" as the reason for the closure, which coincides with the expiry of its 10-year lease.
The staff member indicated that colleagues face an uncertain future, with some potentially transferring to other stores if space allows, while others may face redundancy. The final trading day is set for Saturday, 24 January 2026.
River Island's Final Weekend of Trading
This closure follows immediately after the departure of another longstanding tenant. Clothing retailer River Island is preparing to shut its Gracechurch Centre store for good on Sunday, 18 January 2026. This is part of a wider national closure programme affecting 33 of its shops.
Its windows are adorned with signs announcing "Final few days, everything £10 or less". A more personal message reads: "This store is closing... Thanks for shopping with us - we've had a blast", signed off "with love, Ri".
The Shift to Out-of-Town Retail Parks
The JD Sports closure highlights a continuing trend in retail. The company is directing its Sutton Coldfield customers to its larger stores at The Fort in Erdington and in Tamworth, both out-of-town shopping parks which offer free parking. This strategy aligns with comments from Marks & Spencer, which recently confirmed it would not be returning to Sutton Coldfield town centre, referencing a focus on investments in out-of-town locations.
While the Gracechurch Centre is set to welcome a new arrival in the form of Australian department store Harvey Norman, which is refurbishing the former BHS unit, the loss of two prominent high-street names raises questions about the future of traditional town centre retail. BirminghamLive approached JD Sports for an official comment on the closure.
