Questions surround future of Wigan shop as Claire's Accessories calls in administrators
The future of a Wigan shop looks uncertain after its owners announced they plan to appoint administrators.
Claire’s Accessories, which opened its branch in the Grand Arcade shopping centre in January 2023, was once a thriving High Street brand.
But its parent company filed for bankruptcy in the USA earlier this month, sparking fears that UK stores could be next in line for cuts or closures.
Claire’s Accessories UK Ltd, which operates Claire’s stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland, has today announced that it has filed a notice of intention to appointment administrators.
The company's directors say this is a bid to protect the business and its stakeholders while options for the future are considered.
Will Wright and Chris Pole, from Interpath, are expected to be formally appointed as joint administrators to Claire's UK in the coming days.
Chris Cramer, CEO of Claire's said: "This decision, while difficult, is part of our broader effort to protect the long-term value of Claire's across all markets.
"In the UK, taking this step will allow us to continue to trade the business while we explore the best possible path forward. We are deeply grateful to our employees, partners and our customers during this challenging period."
The firm said Claire's UK stores will remain open and continue to trade, employees will remain in their positions and customers can continue to shop in-store as usual.
Claire’s currently operates around 280 UK stores as part of a global network of more than 2,700 outlets across 17 countries.
It is the second time Claire’s has filed for bankruptcy, following a similar move in 2018.