Evoke has announced the closure of 200 William Hill betting shops across Britain, placing up to 1,500 employees at risk of redundancy.

The bookmaker’s parent company, Evoke, attributed the decision to increased cost pressures, including tax changes introduced in Labour’s Autumn Budget last October.

Staff were informed of the decision today, with closures expected to begin from May.

The affected sites represent around 15 per cent of William Hill’s 1,300 retail locations nationwide.

The company in December announced that it is reviewing strategic options including a potential sale of the company, after UK tax hikes on online gaming and sports betting forced it to withdraw its medium-term outlook. 

Ironshield Capital Management LLP has notified Evoke PLC of a change in its major holdings, crossing a threshold on March 24, 2026. 

The firm now holds 6.07% of the voting rights, totaling 27,337,248 voting rights, with this position being directly held. 

The notification was made on March 26, 2026, and Ironshield Capital Management LLP is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity, nor does it control other undertakings holding an interest in Evoke PLC.

The Ironshield Credit fund is advised by Ironshield Capital Management’s London-based team of traders and analysts. Ironshield was established in 2007 and manages portfolios of long and short positions with a principal focus on event driven, stressed and distressed European corporate credit.