A MAJOR high street brand is pulling the plug on one of its stores today as 'devastated' locals mourn the store's closure.
HMV is closing the doors of its store in the Pescod Square Shopping Center in Boston, Lincolnshire for the final time.
Shoppers have flocked to express their disappointment as the retail apocalypse continues to ravage Britain's high streets.
“Destroyed. Maybe one of the only reasons I visit Boston,” one local wrote on Facebook.
A second added: “Another shutdown?! I can not believe this!”
A third user chimed in: “ “Another sad loss for our city.
“We all need each other to survive! Difficult times for us as retailers.”
A spokesperson for HMV previously said: “It is with great regret that we have decided to close our store in Boston.
“Changing consumer behavior in the city and a lack of investment in the shopping area have meant that it is no longer a sustainable location for us.
“We have been in contact with all store staff and would like to offer them new roles elsewhere in the company where possible.
“We would also like to thank all our customers for their support over the years.”
More main street closures
Rising costs and a lack of customers have made it difficult for even the largest retailers to survive.
Perhaps the biggest shock of last year was the bankruptcy of the popular discount chain Wilko.
It disappeared from the high street after no buyer was found to take over the entire company.
The Range purchased the Wilko brand name and website and has since opened three concept stores in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton.
Stationary chain Paperchase also went bankrupt in 2023, but has since resurfaced in certain Tesco branches.
Other retailers such as Boots, Poundland and Jack Wills all closed branches in 2023.
According to the British Retail Consortium, 6,000 stores have closed since 2018.
Even more changes are in store in 2024, as a number of major retailers look to shake up their portfolios.
Major retailers such as Boots, Costa Next and Sports Direct will close a number of locations.
We've got the full list of stores closing in 2024, including branches of Argos and WHSmith.