7 high street shops people in Norwich miss for Christmas

However, the city's high streets have gone through a lot of change in recent years.

We asked our readers what stores they will miss in Norwich this Christmas and here are seven of the most common replies. 

1. Debenhams

Debenhams closed its Norwich doors in May 2020 (Image: Ben Hardy)

Debenhams closed its 100,000sqft department store on the corner of Red Lion Street and Orford Place in May 2020.

It cited the pandemic as a reason for falling into administration. 

Debenhams purchased the building from another department store, Curls, in the 1960s. 

2. Woolworths

Woolworths had several stores in Norwich before closing (Image: Archant)

Woolworths was a high street favourite before it fell into administration in 2008.

Around 27,000 jobs were lost and 800 stores were closed.

Woolworths had several stores across Norwich, including a branch in St Stephens Street in the 1990s and later a Big W store at Riverside Retail Park.

3. BHS

BHS in Norwich on St Stephen's Street (Picture: Mark Bullimore) (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

The former British Home Stores shop closed its St Stephens Street doors when the company went bust in 2016.

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The site has been empty since August 2016, apart from an 18-month period starting in December 2017, when Primark moved into the unit while its Gentleman’s Walk store was under renovation.

4. Wilko

Wilko closed all 400 of its stores in early October (Image: PA)

12,000 jobs were put at risk when Wilko announced it was going into administration in August.

400 stores closed across the UK and the branch in Norwich's St Stephens Street was the last to shut in Norfolk.

Wilko also had stores in Thetford, King's Lynn, Dereham and Great Yarmouth. 

5. Cath Kidston

Dalmatian owners descended on the Norwich Cath Kidston store in 2017 when the retailer launched its 101 Dalmatians range (Image: Archant)

The clothing and accessories store Cath Kidston shut all of its 60 UK stores in 2020.

It had been running its Castle Street branch in Norwich since 2012.

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Designer Cath Kidston opened her first shop in London’s Holland Park in 1994 and quickly became known for her recognisable hand-embroidered tea towels and brightly renovated furniture.

6. Disney 

Norwich's Disney Store was located in Chantry Place (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Disney first arrived in Norwich on September 23, 1992, when it opened in the Castle Mall on the same day as the mall itself, before moving to Chantry Place, then named Chapelfield.

Disney's flagship London shop was the only UK branch to survive the 2021 cuts.

Over 13,000 people signed a petition to keep the Norwich store open but it closed its doors for the final time in the August.

7. Toys R Us

Toys R Us was located in the Cathedral Retail Park (Image: Newsquest)

Toys R Us closed all of its UK stores in 2018 after filing for bankruptcy in 2017. 

It was recently confirmed that Home Bargains would be moving into its former home in the Cathedral Retail Park.