HUNDREDS of shops and chains are set to pull down their shutters for good this year – and some within days.

The high street has been battered in recent years as retailers struggle with higher energy costs and reduced footfall.

Shoppers are holding back on their spending due to soaring inflation rates too – in January it stood at 10.1%.

It's meant a number of businesses already shutting up shop for good.

A number of well-known brands, including Boots, Clintons and Iceland are pulling down the shutters on stores within just days too. Here is the full list:

Boots

The health and beauty retailer has already closed one branch in Greater Manchester this year.

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Two more are set to close within days.

This includes Church Street, in Malvern, on March 11 and The Port Arcades Shopping Centre branch in Ellesmere on the same date.

B&Q

B&Q is closing eight "mini-shops" found inside Asda supermarkets.

The stores will close from March 11.

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The DIY retailer is looking to launch smaller stores along the high street instead.

The eight locations that will close are:

• Sheffield Drakehouse
• Dagenham
• Roehampton
• Edmonton
• Thurmaston
• Great Bridge
• Lancaster
• Hartlepool

Homesense

Homesense is part of the same company that owns TK Maxx and mostly sells home furnishings.

It has announced it will be closing its Swansea branch in March, although has not confirmed a specific date.

Iceland

Iceland is set to permanently close almost half a dozen branches this year, according to reports.

It's not know yet whether staff at these stores face redundancy or whether they will be transferred.

The White Rose Centre branch, in Rhyl, Wales, will close down for good on March 14.

Its Newport branch, on the Isle of Wight, will close this month too, although a specific date hasn't been confirmed.

Argos

Catalogue retailer Argos is closing a handful of standalone stores this year.

That includes its Coatbridge branch in Lanarkshire on March 11.

B&M

B&M will close its Kilmarnock branch in Scotland on March 26.

The retailer is also shutting down stores in Stockton and Bristol in 2023 too.

Clintons

Popular card retailer Clintons is closing its Whitehaven branch, in Cumbria, on March 19.

Its branch in Market Street, Bolton, is set to close by the end of this month too, although a specific date hasn't been confirmed.

What else is closing in 2023?

Halfords, House of Fraser and even high street giant M&S are among some of the retailers closing stores this year.

Stationery retailer Paperchase is already in the process of closing branches too.

A number of banks and building societies are set to close within days too.

Barclays is set to close four branches this month, including in Birmingham, Sittingbourne and Torquay.

Meanwhile, NatWest is closing five branches and Santander is pulling down shutters on three on March 30.

Halifax is also closing one branch on March 29.

If you are worried about your local bank branch closing, you've got some options.

You can always switch to a different bank or building society that has a branch closer to you.

Or, if you don't want to switch, you can use one of the Post Office's 11,635 branches to carry out most basic banking tasks.

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Some banks run "mobile banking services" too where they bring a bus to your local area offering the services normally available at your nearest physical branch.

It's worth contacting your bank if you're struggling to get to your nearest branch to see if they offer such a service.

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