D-Day for High Street Fashion Chain, as it fights for survival...

River Island In Hartlepool is poised to close in January 2026, however this could be accelerated in the wake of a high court ruling today

The High Court is set to Decide Fate of Fashion Retail Chain River Island Today as Administration Looms....

8th August 2025

A High Court Judge is expected to reveal the fate of struggling high street fashion chain River Island today (Friday, 8th August) after landlords reportedly refused to back a proposed restructuring deal.

The decision, delayed by one day, could determine whether the retailer collapses into administration in just weeks.

The court will make a decision on the restructuring plans today

The company’s bosses will learn the outcome at a hearing this afternoon. If the Court fails to approve River Island’s plans, the brand could face liquidation within just weeks, accelerating the closure of stores already penned in for early 2026.

River Island’s proposed restructuring plans would see rents cut — in some cases to 'zero' — across parts of its 230-store estate, the closure of 33 stores, and the writing off of certain debts. The scheme was designed to keep the business afloat following a major downturn in high street footfall and the continuing shift towards online shopping.

However, its claimed the plans failed to secure the support of a key group of creditors earlier this month, most notably landlords, who rejected the rent reduction proposals. As a result, the final decision has now fallen to the High Court.

“If the High Court does not allow the restructuring plan… [the company] will go into either administration or liquidation,” insiders warned.

The Judge will have to decide on whether the restructuring plans gives River Island a genuine chance of survival. If the Court believes it would only delay the chain’s inevitable collapse, the plan's are unlikely to be approved. A rejection would put all stores — and thousands of jobs — at immediate risk.

Locally, Hartlepool’s River Island store at Middleton Grange Shopping Centre had already been scheduled to close in January 2026 due to declining footfall and changing shopping habits. Several other North East stores were also in the firing line.

But if today’s ruling goes against the retailer, those closures could be brought forward to from months to just weeks, accelerating the brand’s retreat from the high street.

River Island, once a staple of British shopping centres, now faces what could be the most decisive moment in its decades-long history, where, By the end of today, its future — and the future of its employees — may be sealed.