Beloved shoe retailer to shut shop after 21 years on the high street as it launches 50% closing down sale
A POPULAR shoe shop that has been a fixture in the city centre for over two decades is preparing to close its doors for good — and everything must go.
Siddalls of Norfolk, based on St Stephens Street in Norwich, is shutting up shop at the end of September after 21 years of trading.
The closure comes as the business struggles with reduced footfall following the loss of Debenhams, which once stood opposite the store.
Part of a family-run company founded 89 years ago, Siddalls’ main store in Holt will remain open.
The Norwich branch is now offering 50 per cent off old stock and 15 per cent off new items as part of a major closing down sale.
Managing director Sean Siddall confirmed the lease in Norwich will expire in September, explaining wider retail challenges that have affected footfall and business costs in the area.
He said: “Since Covid, retailing in Norwich has been more difficult and then there was also the government’s national insurance increase for businesses.
“We are absolutely gutted to do this but it’s just one of those things.”
The loss of Debenhams, which closed its doors in 2021, has had a knock-on effect on neighbouring shops, with many reporting a drop in customers.
Siddalls is the latest in a string of independent retailers struggling to stay afloat on the high street.
Norwich branch manager Toni Uttling said it had become increasingly difficult to attract passing trade in the years since Debenhams shut.
Still, she remains grateful to the store’s regular customers.
“It was a bit of a shock. Customers have come in and said how sad they are.
“It’s heartbreaking for them because they’ve relied on us for so long,” she said.
Ms Uttling, who has worked at the branch for over a decade, paid tribute to her colleagues and the dedication they’ve shown through challenging times.
“We had a lady who retired last year and I remember when I started, she taught me everything I needed to know.
“The staff have been brilliant. Our team is very hardworking and we are all quite proud of the shop. We’ve all wanted it to do well.”
The closure is a blow to shoppers looking for traditional service and well-fitted shoes, something Siddalls has built a strong reputation for over the years.
One loyal customer told staff they were “devastated” by the news, adding that finding another shoe shop with such personal service would be difficult.
Local businesses in the area have expressed concern about the number of empty units on St Stephens Street, with calls for more support to help keep footfall strong and preserve the character of the city’s shopping scene.
In the meantime, the team at Siddalls is urging customers to pop in for one last browse and to take advantage of the discounts while stock lasts.
The shop will officially close at the end of September.
The closure of Siddalls of Norfolk in Norwich is part of a broader trend of high street retailers shutting their doors across the UK.
Economic pressures, changing consumer habits, and rising operational costs are contributing to a wave of store closures.
In Huddersfield, 17-year-old Stephen Mallalieu announced the closure of his card shop, Imperial Cards, stating low revenue and urging local authorities to revitalise the town centre.
Stephen expressed his disappointment, stating: “It’s been a pleasure being part of the Imperial Arcade family, but nobody is spending money in Huddersfield.”
Meanwhile, Poundland faces significant uncertainty as up to 200 of its stores may close.
Its parent company, Pepco Group, plans to sell Poundland by the end of its current financial year in September 2025.
Store closures have already begun, with several UK locations shutting down, including sites in Gravesend, Clapham Junction, and Liverpool.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”