High street card retailer with 160 branches to shut another store and launches closing down sale
CLOSING TIME High street card retailer with 160 branches to shut another store and launches closing down sale
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A MAJOR high street card retailer and well-known brand is shutting another store as a closing down sale is launched.
Clintons is pulling down the shutters on its branch in the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, Hartlepool, in a matter of weeks.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
1
Clintons is closing a branch in Hartlepool later this month
Credit: Getty
An employee working for the retailer confirmed the branch will shut on August 16.
The branch has also reportedly launched a closing down sale with up to 30% off stock.
Shoppers and locals reacting to the closure on Facebook have branded Hartlepool a "ghost town".
The closure comes after Clintons shut a string of shops across the UK.
A branch shut in Keighley in June with stock reduced by up to 20%, while two others closed in Halifax and Andover in April.
Clintons, now owned by Pillarbox Designs, the parent company of Cardzone, warned of further closures in April due to rising employer National Insurance contributions and the national minimum wage.
The rate of employer NICs was hiked from 13.8% to 15% and the threshold at which they are paid lowered from £9,100 to £5,000 in April.
The national minimum wage was also increased by up to £12.21 a hour.
The warning came despite Clintons posting a return to profits in its latest results, with a pre-tax profit of £8million for the year ending June 29, 2024.
A statement from the retailer in April said: "The high street continues to be unpredictable and the company is seeing reduced footfall in the stores year on year.
Britain's retail apocalypse: why your favourite stores KEEP closing down
"The company continues to monitor the performance of the existing estate and to close the poor performing stores, which, whilst impacting on turnover, should improve profitability moving forwards."
Clintons currently operates over 160 stores in the UK but at one point boasted more than 1,000.
In 2023, it announced plans to close 38 of its then 225 stores to the loss of over 300 jobs.
Clintons was contacted for comment.
Trouble on the high street
It is no secret the high street has struggled in recent years, due to a combination of factors.
Shoppers are buying online considerably more than they were before, while retailers have faced higher rental, wage and energy costs.
Some big names have announced mass store closures in 2025, including Poundland, Hobbycraft and The Original Factory Shop.
The Centre for Retail Research says the sector has been going through a "permacrisis" since the 2008 financial crash.
Figures from the Centre also show 34 retail companies operating multiple stores stopped trading in 2024, leading to the closure of 7,537 shops.
Businesses have cautioned more closures are to be expected this year as well due to the hike to employer NICs and staff wages.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce showed that more than half of companies planned to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms also found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025."
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
"By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Huge crisis-hit carmaker to slash MORE jobs amid wave of closures after profits dropped by 90% in one year
LONG ROAD AHEAD Huge crisis-hit carmaker to slash MORE jobs amid wave of closures after profits dropped by 90% in one year Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR carmaker is set to cut more jobs as it struggles to recover from a 90 per cent profit plunge and global plant closures. The Japanese automaker has started crunch talks with union reps over job losses at its European regional HQ in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France – where it employs around 560 staff. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The car manufacturer has confirmed that consultations are underway with staff representatives at Nissan Automotive Europe Credit: Getty 3 The job cuts are part of a massive overhaul pushed forward by new CEO Ivan Espinosa, who took the helm in April Credit: Getty Nissan has confirmed that consultations are underway with staff representatives at Nissan Automotive Europe, which also manages the firm's operations across Africa, the Middle East, India and Oceania. An internal document and emails, seen by Reuters, revealed that the office is facing sweeping changes. A source close to the situation said major restructuring is planned, although full details are still under wraps. The talks are set to wrap up by 20 October, with final announcements expected in November. Managers and union bosses have agreed to look at voluntary redundancies first, before moving to any forced layoffs. 'Conducted with care' In an email sent on 31 July, Nissan's regional vice chair Massimiliano Messina told employees: 'We are working diligently and respectfully with all parties to ensure that this process is conducted with care, transparency and in full compliance with legal requirements.' He added that no concrete decisions had yet been taken. The job cuts are part of a massive overhaul pushed forward by new CEO Ivan Espinosa, who took the helm in April. The plan includes axing around 15 percent of the global workforce, cutting production capacity by 30 per cent and trimming the number of manufacturing sites from 17 to 10. Nissan forced to close down another dealership with customers told in onsite message sales have 'concluded' for good The struggling brand hopes the move will help it claw back 500 billion yen – roughly £2.7 billion – in savings. Closures around the globe In another blow, Nissan announced last week that it would shut down production at its Civac plant in Mexico by March 2026. The company also confirmed it would end vehicle output at its Oppama facility in Japan by March 2028, followed by the closure of its Shonan plant – run by Nissan-Shatai – by 2027. Nissan has been grappling with poor sales in key markets like China and the United States, which has added to the financial strain caused by years of aggressive global expansion. The firm currently employs around 19,000 people across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India and Oceania – with nearly 60% of those jobs based in Europe. The Sun has approached Nissan for comment.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Primark to launch UK app as it rolls out much-awaited features – but there's a catch
We reveal what else has been happening at Primark APPY DAYS Primark to launch UK app as it rolls out much-awaited features – but there's a catch Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PRIMARK is set to launch an app in the UK for the first time - but there's a catch. The fashion retailer is rolling out a new bespoke app across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - within 18 months. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Primark is launching a new app in the UK within months Credit: Primark 3 Shoppers downloading the app in Italy and Ireland will get notifications when new products are added to stores Credit: Primark 3 The app also comes with a store locator feature flagging shoppers' nearest branch Credit: Primark Primark is yet to reveal any other details about the mystery tech update that has already launched in Italy and Ireland today. In those two countries, the app lets shoppers browse products, check in-store stock availability and save items so they can go back and buy them later on. Customers can also use a store locator tool to find their nearest branch and change their settings to receive notifications when new collections and items come in. Customers can download the app for free onto their smartphone via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store by searching for "Primark" or "Penneys". Primark said the launch of the app in Italy and Ireland will let it "test and learn how customers" interact with it. This will "inform further development ahead of future launches", including the UK. Matt Houston, chief customer and digital officer, said: "We know our customers increasingly start their shopping journey online, whether that's checking what's new or planning a visit, and the app gives them the tools to do that in a more intuitive, personalised way." The launch of the app comes after Primark rolled out new websites in 17 countries over the last three years including one in the UK in 2022. Meanwhile, in May, the retailer confirmed it had finished the roll out of click and collect at 187 stores. Primark first launched a trial of the service across 25 stores in the north of England and Wales in November 2022, extending this to 57 in April 2023. Major Primark shake-up as Scots store among first to launch In its most recently published results at Companies House, the retailer said its revamped digital platforms were resulting in higher store sales and footfall. The chain also toasted positive results in the 52 weeks ending September 14, 2024. Turnover for the business was £3,906.7million, up from £3,851million in the 52 weeks to September 2023. Meanwhile, pre-tax profits also jumped up, from £141.2million to £149.5million. Group sales for the business also grew 6% year-on-year. What else is happening at Primark? The retailer opened its first ever standalone Primark Home store in Belfast on March 6. When the new store launched, a spokesperson said: "Keeping up with the latest homeware trends and must-have interiors, Primark Home combines style, comfort and value to help shoppers make a house a home. "From high-quality essentials like cotton bedding and towels to on-trend soft furnishings, decorative pieces, small furniture and unique, quirky kitchen ceramics that will elevate any space." Meanwhile, Primark sparked shopper fury among some customers in May by introducing a charge for its paper bags. Since May 12, shoppers now have to pay 15p for paper bags, regardless of size - small, medium, or large. Explaining the decision, the retailer said: 'We've introduced a small fee for single-use paper bags. "Have a reusable bag? Bring it with you next time you shop! "Why the change? Research shows that charging for bags reduces the number of new bags customers use. "It's a simple step that encourages all of us to think twice about our use." A short history of Primark Primark first opened in 1969 as Penneys in Dublin hoping to provide affordable fashion in Ireland. A Primark store officially opened as Primark in 1974 in Derby. It currently operates over 190 stores in the UK and operates out of 17 markets, including Hungary, Italy and France. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Pay rise for millions as new minimum wage increase proposed – are you eligible?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MILLIONS of workers could see their pay increase from next year as the Government has set out proposals on the new living wage. The Government has pledged to provide a 'genuine' living wage for workers and says it wants to factor the cost of living crisis into decision-making on wages for the country's lowest-paid workers. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Hospitality is one of the industries that could be most affected by a wage increase A new update from the Low Pay Commission, which advises the Government on changes to the national minimum wage and national living wage each year, suggests next year could be another inflation-busting wage rise. It's estimated the national living wage - which is the minimum most adults can be paid - could increase to £12.71 next year. However it said predicting the exact figure was difficult so the range could be from £12.55 to £12.86. The figure currently sits at £12.21 per hour for most adults. So a rise to £12.71 would equate to a 4% increase - beating the current inflation rate of 3.6%. If the minimum wage rises again, it will come into force in April 2026. The national minimum wage is the minimum amount of pay per hour that workers are entitled to. You are eligible to receive the pay rate if you work full-time or part-time. Meanwhile, the national living wage is the minimum wage for those over 21 and is slightly higher. The national living wage is set annually and typically rises each spring to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living. Huge British institution slashes 550 jobs in bid to save cash after Rachel Reeves' brutal tax hikes The annual adjustment is made to help keep wages in line with inflation and the cost of living. The national living wage rose in April this year in a move that was welcomed by lower paid workers. For most people it was a 6.7% increase - or a boost of £1,400 a year. The Government has said three million workers benefited from the increase. Scrapping 'discriminatory' age bands People aged 18 to 20 have a national minimum wage of £10 per hour, while 16 to 17-year-olds can be paid £7.55. Millions of 18 to 20-year-olds saw a record 16.3% rise in the national minimum wage this year. This is because the Government is aiming to make things fairer for younger workers by bringing their pay closer to the national minimum wage for older adults. It says it wants to eventually create a single wage rate for adults and completely scrap 'discriminatory' age bands. The Low Pay Commission has said it will consult with employers, trade unionrs and workers on closing the pay gap between 18 to 20-year-olds and the national living wage. It's not clear yet what a single adult rate could look like. The commission will make its annual recommendations to the Government in October so it's likely we will get more details then. An increase to the minimum wage will be a huge boost for lower paid workers - but it could hit businesses hard. Industries such as hospitality and retail, which employ lower paid workers, say they've already seen their costs rise dramatically. Staff costs in particular have risen because of the minimum wage increase this year and also a rise in the amount of National Insurance contributions employers have to pay. As a result, some businesses say they've had to stop hiring staff or even let workers go. What if your employer doesn't pay you the right amount? If you qualify for national minimum wage or national living wage but your payslip doesn't reflect this, you should challenge it with your employer. If this is ineffective, the next step is to file a complaint on the government's website. You can do this by visiting the Government website. Employers who do not pay the minimum wage can be publicly "named and shamed". Those who blatantly fail to comply are also at risk of facing criminal prosecution.
