One of the UK's most recognisable high street charity retailers is set to close more than half of its stores in a major restructuring effort. Disability charity Scope has confirmed it will shut 77 of its 138 shops across England and Wales by the end of March 2026.
Wave of Closures to Save Millions
The organisation, which campaigns for disability equality, stated the drastic move is necessary to reduce running costs by an estimated £4 million during the 2025-26 financial year. The decision follows a detailed review which found that, despite the best efforts of local teams, the shop network as a whole is now operating at a loss.
Mark Hodgkinson, Scope's chief executive, explained the challenging backdrop. "A number make strong profits but there are loss-making shops too. This situation isn't confined to Scope," he said. "All retailers have been hit with a greater shift to online shopping."
Pressures Facing the High Street
Hodgkinson cited a perfect storm of economic pressures forcing the charity's hand. These include rising rents, soaring energy costs, and increased staff wages. Furthermore, the ongoing cost of living crisis has squeezed disposable income, affecting customer spending in charity shops as well as mainstream retail.
"To ensure our funds are best focused upon our charitable purpose, we have let our teams know that we will be putting forward proposals to close some of our shops, in stages, over the next 18 months," Hodgkinson added.
List of Stores Already Closed
The closure programme is already underway, with dozens of branches having ceased trading this year. The affected Erdington branch in Birmingham is among those already shuttered. A significant number of other towns and cities have seen their local Scope shop close, including:
- Stourbridge, Folkestone, and Gillingham
- Beverley, Fleet, and Huntingdon
- Newmarket, Bishop’s Stortford, and Alton
- Rochdale, Nuneaton, and Beckenham
- Portsmouth, Taunton, and Bromley
- Southampton, Eastbourne, and Lewisham
- Orpington, Scunthorpe, and Worthing
This extensive list highlights the nationwide scale of the retrenchment, impacting communities from Cornwall to Cumbria.
Scope's Charitable Mission Continues
Founded in 1952 by a group of parents and social workers, Scope remains a leading disability charity in England and Wales. Its core work involves campaigning to change negative attitudes about disability, providing direct support services, and educating the public. The funds saved from the shop closures will be redirected into these frontline charitable activities.
The move underscores the severe and ongoing challenges facing the British high street, where even charitable organisations are not immune to the economic realities of rising operational costs and changing consumer habits.
