pull the shutters down

Etymology
From the practice of stores using roller shutters to protect their entrances when closed.

Verb

 * 1)  To shut down, terminate, or ignore.
 * 2) * 1997, "Apple shuts down Singapore design centre", Canadian Computer Wholesaler, May 1997, page 50:
 * The financial crisis at Apple Computer Inc. spilled over to Singapore recently with the company deciding to pull the shutters down on its design center and lay off 101 of its 974 employees in the island #state.
 * 1) * 2023, Pippa Crerar, "UK should not ‘pull the shutters down’ on China, says James Cleverly", The Guardian, 18 April 2023:
 * Britain should not “pull the shutters down” on China, as it would be counterproductive to the national interest, the foreign secretary has told the Guardian.
 * Britain should not “pull the shutters down” on China, as it would be counterproductive to the national interest, the foreign secretary has told the Guardian.