Popular shop with 150 stores UK-wide to SHUT after 2 years with closing sale offering ‘ridiculous prices’ before it goes

A POPULAR charity shop is set to close after its landlord decided to lease the building to another business.

The YMCA store on St Stephens Street in first opened in 2023, taking over the old site in the city centre.

YMCA is one of the UK’s oldest and largest youth charities, working to support young people through housing, education, training, and wellbeing services.

The organisation helps individuals facing homelessness, unemployment, mental health struggles, and other challenges by offering safe accommodation, life skills support, and community programmes.

In 2024, YMCA Norfolk was named YMCA of the Year, after helping more than 21,500 people in just 12 months across the region.

Now, it’s preparing to shut down for good.

It will officially shut on April 11, but not before holding a blowout closing sale with “ridiculous prices.”;

Shoppers can bag items for £2 or less, and children’s clothes from as little as 50p.

The branch has been praised for its community spirit over the last two years.

In a statement, a spokesperson said:

“We are deeply saddened to announce that unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are having to close.

“Our store has been a great hive for community spirit in these two years.

“We want to thank each and every one of you for filling our daily lives with fun, laughter and good chats.”;

Until new premises are found, staff from St Stephens Street will merge after YMCA's Castle Quarter branch after .

Major chains have been shutting shops at pace.

Shoe Zone, which previously occupied the same building in Norwich, has already closed stores in Boscombe, , and Burgess Hill.

is axing 52 cafés and 17 stores as part of a cost-cutting drive, while fashion retailer plans to shut dozens of branches this year.

In 2024 alone, 13,479 stores shut permanently across the UK — that’s 37 a day, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

Over half of those closures were due to businesses entering debt or administration.

Retailers also face new pressure in 2025 as employer National Insurance contributions rise, and the minimum wage jumps to £12.21 an hour.

Experts warn this could trigger further closures, with up to 202,000 retail jobs at risk in the year ahead.

Professor Joshua Bamfield of the CRR said:

“Although 2024 wasn’t as bad as the height of the pandemic, store closures remain disconcerting — and worse may be coming in 2025.”;