The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced plans to close around 150 charity shops and stores across the UK over the next two years as it responds to rising operating costs and changing shopping habits. The move represents one of the biggest restructures of the charity’s retail network in recent years and highlights the growing financial pressures facing high street retailers and charities alike.
BHF currently operates around 640 shops and stores across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The proposed closures account for just under a quarter of its retail estate. Around 90 stores are expected to close by March 2027, with the remaining affected locations scheduled to shut by March 2028.
The charity said the decision follows an extensive review of its retail operations. While its overall financial position remains healthy, supported by strong fundraising performance and legacy income, some locations are no longer financially sustainable in the current trading environment.
Why British Heart Foundation is closing stores
British Heart Foundation chief executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said the charity’s shops remain an important part of local communities, providing places where people can donate, shop and volunteer while helping fund research into cardiovascular disease.
“Our shops mean so much to our colleagues, brilliant volunteers and communities across the UK,” Griffiths said. “They are places where people come together to donate, shop and volunteer, helping to make a real difference to lives affected by cardiovascular disease.”
However, she acknowledged that difficult decisions are needed to protect the charity’s long-term ability to fund life-saving research.
According to BHF, there is no single reason behind the closure programme. Instead, the charity is facing a combination of challenges including inflationary pressures, higher operating costs, rising wage bills, increased employer National Insurance contributions and changing consumer behaviour. Like many retailers, BHF has also seen shopping patterns shift as more consumers buy and sell second-hand goods through online marketplaces.
“Like most retailers, we are facing an exceptionally challenging trading environment,” Griffiths said. “Cardiovascular disease remains one of the UK’s biggest killers and our priority is funding research to save lives. We must take the difficult step to close some of our shops to sustain retail’s important contribution to funding BHF’s groundbreaking research.”
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What happens next
The charity said details of affected locations will be published after employees and volunteers have been informed. In addition to store closures, BHF plans to reduce the size of central teams that support its retail operations.
Employees impacted by the changes will enter consultation processes and may be offered redeployment opportunities where possible. Volunteers affected by store closures could be offered roles at nearby locations or elsewhere within the organisation.
Despite the planned closures, BHF said it will continue operating a substantial retail network across the UK while expanding its online sales channels, including its website and eBay store. The charity said it is evolving its retail model to reflect changing donor habits and customer shopping preferences.
The announcement comes as other charity retailers face similar challenges. Last year, Cancer Research UK revealed plans to close around 90 high street shops by 2026 and up to 100 more by 2027 while investing in larger out-of-town stores. The charity cited many of the same issues affecting BHF, including rising costs, reduced footfall and growing competition from online resale platforms. Similar pressures have also affected mainstream retailers, with Poundland confirming plans to close 149 stores and cut 2,200 jobs as businesses across the UK adapt to a tougher operating environment.
The British Heart Foundation’s decision underlines the wider transformation taking place across the UK retail sector. As costs continue to rise and shopping habits evolve, charities and retailers are increasingly reassessing their physical store networks while investing more heavily in digital channels.
More information and future updates on affected stores can be found through the British Heart Foundation’s official website.
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