Boots says it is merging shops that are close together on the high street (Picture: PA)

Retail giant Boots has announced plans to close 300 of its stores around the country.

Some will close within a few weeks, with more following in the new year.

The move will see the total number of Boots stores reduce from 2,200 to 1,900.

Eight stores will close before Christmas, with the rest to follow after the festive period.

The retailer has shared some of the stores that will close their doors in the coming months, including the exact location of each shop and the date they are due to shut.

Boots confirmed that it has decided to merge a number of stores in ‘close proximity to each other’.

A spokesperson for Boots said all staff impacted by closures have been offered ‘alternative jobs’ (Picture: PA)

It added that staff impacted by closures have been offered ‘alternative roles’.

A spokesperson for the company said prior to the announcement: ‘Evolving the store estate in this way allows Boots to concentrate its team members where they are needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up-to-date environment.’

Concerns that the high street is in ‘terminal decline’ remain, with the announcement just one of many similar stories in recent years.

In the last year, more than 1,000 banks have closed high street branches, with other big retailers like Iceland, Wilko, Next and New Look all closing shops too.

Over 4,200 jobs in the retail industry have been cut since 2010.

Boots has shared some of the stores that will close – and the dates they will shut (Picture: Reuters)

Traditional retail jobs have seen a 28 per cent drop in the last 10 years, according to GMB Union.

GMB national officer Andy Prendergast said: ‘High street retail is at the heart of our communities, but customers and workers are denied a fair deal.

‘These shocking figures are a wake-up call that Wilko was not the first, and it will not be the last.

‘Better support for communities and workers who face redundancy is urgently needed.’

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