Thousands of high street jobs at risk after Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop go into administration

Two major high street chains have been put into administration, putting around 2,500 UK staff at risk of redundancy.

Claire’s Accessories and The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) are the latest victims of Britain’s broken high streets after attempts to rescue the brands failed,Modella Capital has said.

It will mean 1,355 employees in the UK and Ireland at 154 Claire’s shops will be put at risk, and 1,220 staff across 140 TOFS’ stores.

A spokesperson for the brand’s owner said: ‘Very sadly, we have had to initiate insolvency proceedings for The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) and Claire’s Accessories UK & Ireland.

‘This has been a very tough decision. We have worked intensively in an effort to save both businesses, having made last-ditch attempts to rescue them, but neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again.

‘In these circumstances, administration is the only option. In both cases, the legacy effects of trading prior to our ownership left them highly vulnerable.

‘The climate on the high street remains extremely challenging and TOFS and Claire’s are not alone in experiencing difficulties.

‘This is borne out by recent Sensormatic statistics and other data sources suggesting an alarming drop-off in pre-Christmas footfall.

‘A combination of very weak consumer confidence, highly adverse government fiscal policies and continued cost inflation is causing many established and much-loved businesses to suffer badly.

‘It’s a simple fact that if retailers can’t make money, they risk having to close – and jobs across the country are lost.’

The jewellery and accessories business filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators in August – with Interpath expected to take on the role in the coming days.

Three stores – London Oxford Street West, Macclesfield and Limerick, Ireland – have already closed, Metro understands.

Why are so many shops closing in 2025?

Claire’s has more than 280 stores across the UK, but the business incurred losses of around £25 million over the last few years prompting it to file for administration.

Sean Moran, restructuring and insolvency partner at law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, said the rise of new online stories, the popularity of social media platforms, and US President Donald Trump’s recent tariff hikes could all be factors in the retailer’s demise.

He told Metro: ‘The fashion and accessories space has been flooded with new competition in recent years.

‘From new online stores pushing the boundaries of fast fashion prices, like Shein and Temu, which benefit from low value import loopholes, to entirely new retail platforms surging in popularity, like Instagram and TikTok, the retailers largely ‘bricks and mortar’ presence has struggled to compete.

‘Ongoing geopolitical considerations, including Trump’s much publicised tariff onslaught, combined with a general downturn in consumer and high street spending, created a perfect storm for the well-loved brand.’

Claire’s is not the only brand to be facing tough times – M&S is closing almost a dozen of its in-store cafés, while Amazon announced it is closing down all 19 Amazon Fresh food stores in London, just four years after the concept launched in the capital.

Comments Add as preferred source