Topps Tiles is among the retailers shutting down stores amid a challenging environment
A major homeware retailer is closing multiple stores across the UK and launching an "everything must go sale" at impacted sites.
Topps Tiles is shutting its Cheam, Greater London, branch for good today, August 7, leaving local customers without a nearby store.
Residents had noticed "everything must go" signage at the site in recent weeks, while word of the closure spread on social media last week.
The branch had earned praise from shoppers for its "excellent service" and "great" selection of tiles and accessories, making the shutdown a significant loss for the area.
Customers in the vicinity will now need to travel more than 12 miles to reach the nearest Topps Tiles outlet in Epsom, though it remains unclear whether that location could also face closure.
The Cheam closure is part of a broader restructuring programme announced by Topps Tiles earlier this year, which will see 23 "under-performing" branches permanently shut down.
With today's shutdown, nine of those 23 stores will have now ceased trading, while the remaining 14 are expected to close over the coming months.
The 23 affected sites account for roughly seven per cent of the company's 319 locations nationwide.
The Leicestershire-founded retailer, which has been trading since 1963, described the programme as a package of "significant self-help measures" designed to cut costs during what it acknowledged was a challenging economic climate.
Topps Tiles chief executive Alex Jensen attributed the decision to broader economic headwinds that have impacted the company in recent years.
He explained: "In light of subdued consumer sentiment and geopolitical uncertainty as well as the cumulative impact of cost inflation, the management team is implementing a targeted programme of self-help measures weighted towards the second half."
Mr Jensen added: "These actions are designed to support year on year profit growth and provide a stronger financial platform for 2027 and beyond."
The DIY and home improvement specialist employed approximately 1,850 people as of April 2026, though the number of roles affected by the store closure programme has not been disclosed.
Molly Monks, an insolvency specialist at Parker Walsh, said: "The transformation of retail was already underway, but the cost of living crisis has dramatically accelerated the closure of stores that might otherwise have survived another few years.
"Discretionary spending has collapsed in many categories and footfall on high streets outside major city centres remains stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels.
"Meanwhile, business rates continue to penalise physical retail in a way that online competitors simply do not face, an imbalance that the Government has failed to correct."
