Iceland has announced the closure of two major stores in the UK by the end of July, leaving local shoppers devastated.
The latest closures mean Iceland has shut more than 20 stores since the start of 2023.
The frozen food retailer will shut its College Square store in Margate on June 21, followed by its Rose Street location in Inverness city centre on July 12.
The closures will impact customers in both areas, with the Inverness shutdown meaning there will no longer be an Iceland store in the northeast Scottish city.
The nearest Iceland shop to Inverness will now be in Aberdeen.
Locals in Margate have expressed their dismay at the upcoming closure.
Iceland is closing another store GETTY One shopper described the move as "another nail" in the town's "shopping coffin".
"Omg there's nothing left!! Everything in Margate is closing," another customer lamented.
An Iceland spokesman confirmed: "Our store colleagues have entered into a consultation process and have been offered opportunities at surrounding stores where possible."
In Inverness, customers have voiced concerns about parking issues at the Rose Street location. Many shoppers have reportedly received fines and charges from the third-party car park operator at the site.
High street closures are partly being driven by online shopping trends PA"Too stressful to park here so not choosing to shop there," one customer stated.
Another added: "Killed by the parking issues, about time it was sorted before all the stores close."
Local news suggested the closure may be part of Iceland's strategy to focus on expanding its Food Warehouse outlets.
"Very sad," commented one Inverness shopper about the impending closure. Iceland confirmed that staff at both closing stores will enter a consultation process.
"Our store colleagues will enter into a consultation process and will be offered opportunities at surrounding stores where possible," the company stated regarding the Inverness closure.
Shoppers in Inverness can still visit the local Food Warehouse store located on Telford Street.
The Food Warehouse is Iceland's warehouse store format, with the company reportedly aiming to double its network of these larger outlets.
Some new Food Warehouse stores are expected to be located close to existing Iceland stores.
The latest closures mean Iceland has shut more than 20 stores since the start of 2023.
Iceland shoppers spotted a new product PADespite these closures, Iceland announced earlier this year plans to open 20 Iceland and Food Warehouse stores by the end of April.
In April, the company also opened a new £100million distribution centre in Warrington.
The 500,000 sq. ft. facility at Omega Park supplies around 350 Iceland stores across the north west of England, the Scottish borders and Wales.
Bosses claimed the new centre would be "game-changing" for the business.
