A major fashion chain is closing two stores this month in a blow to the high street. River Island, which has stores in Birmingham, will be closing its branch at Vicar Lane Shopping Centre in Chesterfield.

The high street chain will close next Saturday, April 19. It comes just days after the retailer announced that its store in Willow Place, Corby, will also close at the end of April.

Sharing the news on its Facebook page, the Vicar Lane Shopping Centre announced: "Get 30% off full price and sale items, in-store ONLY. Don't miss out, the store closes for good at 17.30pm on Saturday April 19, so now's the time to grab a bargain!"

The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. The Corby closure comes as part of a triple blow after WH Smith announced that the entire chain has been sold in a £76m deal.

A New Look store in Willow Place has confirmed to the Northants Telegraph that it will close for good on June 1, too, with the WH Smiths site nearby also at risk.

A New Look spokeswoman told the newspaper: “Our Corby store is set to close on June 1. We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years. We hope customers continue to shop with us online at newlook.com, where our full product ranges can be found.”