Iceland, the UK’s well-known frozen food supermarket chain, has announced it will close two of its stores by July 2025. The affected locations are the College Square branch in Margate, Kent and the Rose Street store in Inverness, Scotland.
The Margate store is scheduled to shut on June 21, 2025, while the Inverness branch will close on July 12, 2025. The closure of the Inverness store is particularly notable because it will leave the city without any Iceland supermarkets. The nearest alternative for shoppers there will be the store in Aberdeen.
Iceland has not publicly detailed the specific reasons for closing these two stores. However, customers in Inverness have expressed frustration with parking difficulties and fines at the Rose Street location, which may have contributed to the decision.
Shoppers in Margate have also voiced disappointment, describing the closure as a blow to local shopping options.
The company has assured that staff members affected by the closures will enter a consultation process. Iceland aims to offer these employees opportunities to work at nearby stores wherever possible.
These closures are part of a broader trend in Iceland. Since 2023, the supermarket has closed more than 20 stores across the UK due to changing shopping habits, lease challenges and store performance issues.
Despite these shutdowns, Iceland is also investing in growth. The company opened a new 100 million euro distribution centre in Warrington earlier this year, which supplies hundreds of stores across northern England, Southern Scotland and Wales.
Additionally, Iceland is focusing on expanding its larger Food Warehouse format stores. These warehouse-style outlets offer a wider product range and are located in busy retail parks. The company plans to double the number of Food Warehouse stores in the coming years.
Iceland’s Executive Chairman, Richard Walker, has explained that while the chain opens over 20 new stores annually, it also makes targeted closures to streamline operations and better meet customer demand.
The two confirmed store closures are-
- College Square, Margate, Kent—closing June 21, 2025
- Rose Street, Inverness, Scotland—closing July 12, 2025
Shoppers in Inverness can still visit the local Food Warehouse store on Telford Street.
Although these closures will disappoint local customers, Iceland says the moves are necessary to support long-term growth and adapt to changing market trends.
This latest announcement follows a series of closures in locations such as Welling, Borehamwood and Exeter since 2023, reflecting Iceland’s ongoing strategic review of its retail footprint.
