The British Heart Foundation (BHF), the UK's largest charity retailer, is set to close 150 shops across the country, including seven in London, after reporting a £3.3m retail loss for the 2025-26 financial year. The closures, announced on June 4, 2026, are part of a strategy to ensure the retail network "remains commercially sustainable" amid rising operating costs and changing customer habits.
Financial Losses and Strategic Response
In its recently published Annual Report and Accounts for 2025-26, the BHF revealed that its retail operations fell to a £3.3m loss, a stark contrast to the £3.6m profit recorded in 2025. The charity described this level of financial return as "not sustainable," prompting a detailed review of its retail estate. The report noted that the proposals to close around 150 shops over the next two financial years were announced to ensure the retail network remains strong and sustainable.
The BHF reported a total income of £175.3m for the previous financial year, with legacies as the primary revenue stream, followed by fundraising initiatives and then proceeds from retail outlets and online operations. The charity invested £103m in world-leading research during the period, alongside £10m allocated to the BHF Data Science Centre and a £5m contribution to a global research programme on women's heart health.
Impact on London and UK High Streets
Seven London branches are among those earmarked for closure, including stores in Balham, Barnet, Camden, Finchley, Fulham, Hammersmith, and Harrow (Home Store). The full list of 150 proposed closures spans the UK, from Aberdare to Wrexham, covering both clothing outlets and home stores. As of March 31, 2026, the BHF's retail portfolio included 651 shops, comprising 470 clothing outlets and 181 home stores. During the year, the charity opened 11 new premises, relocated three, and closed 25 as part of its ongoing optimisation strategy.
The charity acknowledged the challenging trading environment, stating: "Like many retailers, we are seeing rising costs and changing shopping and donation habits reshape the retail landscape. To ensure our retail income remains strong and sustainable for the long term, we need to adapt how we operate." The closures are expected to result in a limited recovery in retail profitability over the next two years, according to the BHF.
CEO Statement and Community Impact
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, BHF chief executive, commented: "Our shops mean so much to our colleagues, brilliant volunteers and communities across the UK. They are places where people come together to donate, shop and volunteer, helping to make a real difference to lives affected by cardiovascular disease. We know this will be a difficult time for our dedicated colleagues and volunteers in affected stores and emphasise our deep appreciation and gratitude for all they have done for BHF and the communities they serve."
She added: "Like most retailers, we are facing an exceptionally challenging trading environment. Cardiovascular disease remains one of the UK's biggest killers and our priority is funding research to save lives. We must take the difficult step to close some of our shops to sustain retail's important contribution to funding BHF's groundbreaking research." The closures will be phased over the next two financial years, with implementation likely to result in limited recovery in retail profitability during that period.
