Major UK discount store shuts 8 branches this weekend in major restructure
The Original Factory Shop is closing stores in Perth, Chester Le Street, Arbroath, Kidwelly, Pershore, Normanton, Peterhead and Shaftesbury on June 28
The Original Factory Shop is shutting eight high street stores for good this weekend - with three more closures in the pipeline for later this summer.
The discount chain is closing stores in Perth, Chester Le Street, Arbroath, Kidwelly, Pershore, Normanton, Peterhead and Shaftesbury on June 28.
Another three shops will close later this summer. The Original Factory Shop will shut its branch in Staveley on July 12, followed by its store in Cupar, which will close on July 27.
Another branch in Middlewich is also scheduled to shut, but an exact closing date has not yet been published. It comes after The Original Factory Shop closed shops in Heswall and Milford Haven earlier this month.
Some of the stores have been posting about closing down sales on social media, with the Peterhead store currently offering 70% off. The store said in one post: "We would like to take this time to thank all of our customers at Peterhead store.
"We have loved serving you and being part of the community over the last 18 months. We hope you will pop in to see us before we close. Our last day will be the 28th of June."
It comes after its owner Modella Capital launched plans to renegotiate rents at 88 of its 178 stores through a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), according to Sky News.
A CVA is an agreement between a business and its creditors that allows debts to be paid off over a fixed period of time. The creditors must first approve the CVA before it can be implemented. The Original Factory Shop employs around 2,000 people.
A spokesperson for The Original Factory previously said: "The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) recently confirmed that as part of a restructuring a number of its loss-making stores will have to close.
"Closing stores is always a tough decision and we are committed to keeping as many stores open as possible. This is, however, dependent on successful negotiations with landlords as we strive to build a sustainable and successful business for the future.
"We have already announced that two stores will close. Additionally, a small number of other stores are currently under review, with their continued operation subject to ongoing negotiations with landlords."
Full list of The Original Factory Shop closures
Heswall, Merseyside - June 21
Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire - June 26
Perth - June 28
Chester Le Street, County Durham - June 28
Arbroath, Angus - June 28
Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire - June 28
Pershore, Worcestershire - June 28
Normanton, West Yorkshire - June 28
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - June 28
Shaftesbury, Dorset - June 28
Staveley, Cumbria - July 12
Cupar, Fife - July 27
Middlewich, Cheshire - TBC
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