A charity shop in Minehead is among those proposed for closure as part of a major nationwide shake-up aimed at securing long-term funding for life-saving research.
The British Heart Foundation store at 4 The Parade in Minehead is set to be closed under plans announced affecting around 150 shops and stores across the UK over the next two financial years.
The decision follows a detailed review of its retail estate conducted by the charity, which they say found rising operating costs and changing customer habits mean that some locations no longer financially sustainable.
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Under the proposals, around 90 stores are expected to close by the end of March 2027, with the remainder set to follow by March 2028.
The charity also confirmed there would be a reduction in central teams that support its retail operations. Other stores across the country, as well as online retail channels, will continue to operate.
Despite the closures, British Heart Foundation said: "Our overall financial position remains healthy, with continuing strong performance across fundraising and legacy income."
"The changes are designed to ensure our retail network remains strong and sustainable, contributing vital funds to power research into cardiovascular disease, which cause around one death every three minutes in the UK."
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: "Our shops mean so much to our colleagues, brilliant volunteers, and communities across the UK.
Dr Griffiths added: "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.
"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 ground-breaking research."
Allison Swaine-Hughes, chief commercial officer at British Heart Foundation, added: "We recognise how challenging this will be, especially for colleagues whose roles are affected, and we are committed to supporting everyone impacted.
"Change is essential so we can continue to serve communities across the UK and raise the funds that power our life-saving research. This is about protecting our mission for the long term, even when the decisions in the shorter term are hard."
The charity said supporters will still be able to shop and donate items while affected stores remain open. British Heart Foundation said it will publish a full list of locations earmarked for closure later this year once all affected colleagues have been informed.
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