Iceland Closes more Stores But Is Parking to Blame for High Street Decline?

Iceland has announced that two more stores will close across the UK, with the frozen food retailer shutting its branch in Margate, a seaside town in Kent, on June 21, and its Inverness city centre store in the Scottish Highlands on July 12.

Iceland has not officially disclosed why these stores were selected for closure, but The Mail reported that customer dissatisfaction with the parking charges has been a significant issue for the Inverness store.

Research from the Direct Line business revealed that three in five drivers were deterred from visiting their local high street in Inverness due to the high expense of the parking charges.

This could potentially be driving the decision to close the Inverness branch, but Iceland has not disclosed why either of the two stores were selected for closure.

A spokesman for Iceland said that “store colleagues have entered a consultation process and have been offered opportunities at surrounding stores where possible”.

The move comes as a shock, disappointing customers as it had previously been announced earlier this year that the supermarket plans to make expansions in the UK.

Known for its competitive prices on frozen foods, the store has built a reputation for offering good value for money – particularly during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The latest closures add to the more than 20 Iceland stores that have shut since early 2023, including branches in London — such as the Harrow store, which closed last year.