12 famous UK high street chains that were huge in your childhood but are now struggling or defunct

They were stalwarts of the UK high street that have fallen from glory.

Some of these household names have disappeared entirely, while others are nowhere near as ubiquitous as they once were.

If you grew up in the 80s, 90s or noughties, you’re bound to remember these chains when they were at their peak, boasting thousands of stores between them.

They have all suffered a dramatic decline.

Several closed completely after going into administration, or are only trading online, while others today have a vastly reduced high street presence.

How many of these shops do you remember visiting during their heyday in the 80s, 90s and noughties, and is your favourite among them?

Woolworths

This is perhaps the most famous casualty of recent years on the nation’s high streets. Woolworths opened its first UK store in Liverpool in 1909, and at its peak had more than 800 stores nationwide.

Woolies, as it was affectionately known, was the go-to place for many shoppers for items ranging from children’s clothes and toys to records and the famous pick ‘n’ mix for which it is perhaps most fondly remembered.

Sadly, Woolworths stores across the UK closed in 2009, and in 2015 it stopped trading online.

BHS

British Home Stores, or BHS, as it was known to most shoppers, was founded in 1928.

The first store opened in Brixton, London, with prices initially limited to a shilling, though this cap was soon increased as the range of goods expanded.

It expanded rapidly and was huge during the 80s, 90s and noughties.

The retail giant was bought in 2000 by Philip Green, and, in March 2015, following a dramatic decline in its fortunes, was sold for £1 to the Retail Acquisitions Ltd consortium. BHS entered administration the following year, and the last UK stores closed in August 2016.

C&A

The fashion chain C&A began life in the Netherlands and opened its first UK shop in London in 1922.

It developed a reputation for good quality clothes that were also trendy, and became affectionately known to UK shoppers as 'Coats and Ats'.

C&A expanded rapidly and had more than 100 stores across the UK by the end of the 90s.

Its last UK shops closed in 2001, but it still has more than 1,500 stores worldwide.

Littlewoods

Littlewoods was once one of the most famous names on the UK’s high streets, known for selling clothes, homewares, electrical goods and much more.

At its peak, it had more than 100 department stores and many more smaller catalogue shops, with the firm employing over 25,000 staff.

Littlewoods was founded in Liverpool in 1923 and began life as a football pools company, before expanding into mail-order retail.

Its first store opened in Blackpool in 1937, and more soon followed.

It fortunes declined from the 80s, and the original company was wound up in 2005, though Littlewoods still operates online.

Laura Ashley

Laura Ashley is named after the talented Welsh designer and businesswoman who launched the famous fashion chain.

Having initially sold its clothes via mail order and in high street chains, it opened its first shop in 1961.

The business grew rapidly and at its peak operated more than 150 shops around the UK.

But it became less fashionable and in 2020 went into administration, with all of its UK stores closing.

It still operates online and its clothes are today stocked by several big-name high street chains, with the brand having undergone a renaissance in recent years.

TGI Fridays

This American chain opened its first UK restaurant in 1986, bringing a taste of US dining to these shores.

The firm, whose initials stand for ‘Thank God it’s (Friday)’, was huge over here in the 90s and noughties.

The UK operator went into administration in September 2024 and although a rescue deal was agreed, more than a third of its 86 branches closed.

Wilkinson/Wilko

Wilkinson, as the discount retailer was known for many years before its rebrand, was founded in 1930 and opened its first store in Leicester.

It expanded rapidly throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.

By the time it went into administration in September 2023, Wilko had more than 400 stores across the UK, some of which were snapped up by budget rivals Poundland and B&M.

CDS Superstores, owner of The Range, bought the brand, and three stores had reopened by the end of 2023, with more following as it slowly re-establishes its presence on the high street.

The Body Shop

The famous cosmetics, skin care and beauty retailer was launched in Brighton by Anita Roddick in 1976.

It built up a reputation for ethical trading, with its campaign against animal testing, and its use of natural products earning it a loyal customer base.

The UK division went into administration in February 2024 and more than 80 branches closed.

But there are still over 100 shops trading in the UK, after a rescue deal was agreed later that year.

Virgin Megastores

Before diversifying into trains, planes and space travel, Richard Branson started out selling records.

What began with a small record store above a shoe shop on London’s Oxford Street in 1971 soon expanded into a music retail and publishing empire.

At its peak, there were well over 100 Virgin Megastores across the UK and Ireland.

The company was sold in 2007 and rebranded as Zavvi, which went into administration in 2008 and now trades online only.

Debenhams

The department store chain began life in 1778 with a single shop in London, before expanding to 178 sites across the UK, Ireland and further afield.

It was for many years one of the most trusted brands on the high street.

But its decline began in the late noughties, and the business first went into administration in 2019.

The brand and website were sold in 2021 to the online retailer Boohoo, but no stores were kept, with the final shops closing in May that year.

Dixons

Dixons was founded in Essex in 1937 and the electrical retailer became a major presence on the UK's high streets, with more than 700 shops at its peak.

It closed in 2006, with many of its high street branches becoming Currys.digital stores.

The name briefly lived on through the Dixons Carphone and Dixons Travel brands.

Dorothy Perkins

Dorothy Perkins was a popular women's budget fashion chain.

It started out in 1909 as H. P. Newman, before changing its name in 1919.

The retailer had many stores across the UK but now trades online only, after becoming part of Boohoo Group (now the Debenhams Group) in 2021.