Norwood is shutting some of its high street stores as the pandemic takes its toll on charity retailers.

It has announced that after exploring a number of options, it will be closing outlets where leases have come to an end. As a result, its Golders Green menswear outlet and Edgware and Barkingside stores will close in the next three months. The future of the charity’s four remaining outlets will be reviewed individually going forward.

Norwood chief Dr Beverley Jacobson was “very sorry to be losing some of our high street presence. Norwood shops have always stood out in the charity sector due to the inspiring staff and the incredible support we have enjoyed from suppliers, volunteers and customers alike.

“However, in these difficult times, we must focus our resources on those who most need our support.”

It would use its “best endeavours” to avoid redundancies and would be discussing “alternative opportunities for individual shop managers who are affected. But these discussions have not yet begun as we are still at the very early stages of the process.”

Dr Jacobson noted that in revenue terms, “the shops were not making a positive contribution to Norwood’s charitable objectives prior to the pandemic, although plans were being advanced to save the retail outlets through a number of strategies”. And with much reduced activity and confidence in the high street expected to remain low, the charity needed to act.

Without a significant online operation — although this was under review — Dr Jacobson said that remaining stock from the outlets being closed would be “sold through other stores or otherwise used in a sustainable and responsible way that will directly benefit the people we support and our front-line staff at this challenging time”.