Latest news with #Claire'sAccessories
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Future of iconic high street chain with 281 shops in doubt as it's put for sale
THE future of an iconic high street chain with 281 shops is in doubt as it is put up for sale. Claire's Accessories is exploring a sale of the business as it feels the squeeze of higher US import costs and rising competition in the market. Advertisement 1 Claires is mulling a sale of the business leaving question marks over the future of nearly 300 stores Credit: Getty - Contributor That is according to a report by The potential sale is understood to include stores across North American and Europe. It is not guaranteed the sale will go ahead and the stores across Britain remain open and trading as usual. Advertisement The Sun has contacted Claire's for comment The reports follow a tricky period for the brand, which is popular Claire's reportedly has a $500million (£368million) loan looming overhead, which is due in December 2026. Bossess at the chain have also chosen to defer paying interest on debt and tapped US advisory firms to help shore up extra cash. Advertisement Most read in Money It is not the first time Claire's has found itself in hot water. The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in March 2018. This means a company intends to reorganise its debts and assets while remaining in business. Beloved high street chain with 24 Irish locations confirms Dublin city centre store closing down in 10 days in huge blow Since then, the group has largely been controlled by f ormer creditors including investment firms Elliott Management Corp. Advertisement Julie Palmer, partner at Begbies Traynor said Claire's decision to explore a sale comes as "little surprise". The retail expert said the budget jeweller has been "weighed down" by mounting debt, and Trump's tariffs have only added to its woes. She explained: "Claire's low-price offering is clearly not strong enough to win over its core customers – teens and young adults – as they now have access to a vast array of affordable and convenient products online through platforms like Amazon and Temu. "So, with fewer reasons for its customers to visit their stores, the retailer has struggled to stay relevant". Advertisement TROUBLE ON THE HIGH STREET Claire's is not the only popular brand to struggle in the face of dwindling sales and rising costs. River Island will close 33 stores and a further 70 could shut for good as part of a restructuring plan. Poundland will close 68 stores following its £1 sale to US investmet firm Gordron Brothers. But even before this announcement, the bargain chain had already planned to close 18 stores, Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun Elsewhere, Both were bought by Modella Capital, with the investment firm making a series of closures to help shore up costs at the respective groups. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms 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."
Scottish Sun
25-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Future of iconic high street chain with 281 shops in doubt as it's put for sale
Plus a retail expert reveals why the chain is in hot water RETAIL SPIN Future of iconic high street chain with 281 shops in doubt as it's put for sale Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE future of an iconic high street chain with 281 shops is in doubt as it is put up for sale. Claire's Accessories is exploring a sale of the business as it feels the squeeze of higher US import costs and rising competition in the market. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Claires is mulling a sale of the business leaving question marks over the future of nearly 300 stores Credit: Getty - Contributor That is according to a report by Bloomberg, which said bankers at Houlihan Lokey Inc are on the hunt for potential buyers for all or part of the jewellery and piercing brand. The potential sale is understood to include stores across North American and Europe. Claire's has 2,000 stores in total across both regions, with 281 stores in the UK. It is not guaranteed the sale will go ahead and the stores across Britain remain open and trading as usual. The Sun has contacted Claire's for comment The reports follow a tricky period for the brand, which is popular amongst pre-teens and younger children. Claire's reportedly has a $500million (£368million) loan looming overhead, which is due in December 2026. Bossess at the chain have also chosen to defer paying interest on debt and tapped US advisory firms to help shore up extra cash. It is not the first time Claire's has found itself in hot water. The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in March 2018. This means a company intends to reorganise its debts and assets while remaining in business. Beloved high street chain with 24 Irish locations confirms Dublin city centre store closing down in 10 days in huge blow Since then, the group has largely been controlled by former creditors including investment firms Elliott Management Corp. Julie Palmer, partner at Begbies Traynor said Claire's decision to explore a sale comes as "little surprise". The retail expert said the budget jeweller has been "weighed down" by mounting debt, and Trump's tariffs have only added to its woes. She explained: "Claire's low-price offering is clearly not strong enough to win over its core customers – teens and young adults – as they now have access to a vast array of affordable and convenient products online through platforms like Amazon and Temu. "So, with fewer reasons for its customers to visit their stores, the retailer has struggled to stay relevant". TROUBLE ON THE HIGH STREET Claire's is not the only popular brand to struggle in the face of dwindling sales and rising costs. River Island will close 33 stores and a further 70 could shut for good as part of a restructuring plan. Poundland will close 68 stores following its £1 sale to US investmet firm Gordron Brothers. But even before this announcement, the bargain chain had already planned to close 18 stores, Elsewhere, Hobby Craft and The Original Factory Shop have made a series of closures in the past few weeks. Both were bought by Modella Capital, with the investment firm making a series of closures to help shore up costs at the respective groups.
The Sun
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Future of iconic high street chain with 281 shops in doubt as it's put for sale
THE future of an iconic high street chain with 281 shops is in doubt as it is put up for sale. Claire's Accessories is exploring a sale of the business as it feels the squeeze of higher US import costs and rising competition in the market. 1 That is according to a report by Bloomberg, which said bankers at Houlihan Lokey Inc are on the hunt for potential buyers for all or part of the jewellery and piercing brand. The potential sale is understood to include stores across North American and Europe. Claire's has 2,000 stores in total across both regions, with 281 stores in the UK. It is not guaranteed the sale will go ahead and the stores across Britain remain open and trading as usual. The Sun has contacted Claire's for comment The reports follow a tricky period for the brand, which is popular amongst pre-teens and younger children. Claire's reportedly has a $500million (£368million) loan looming overhead, which is due in December 2026. Bossess at the chain have also chosen to defer paying interest on debt and tapped US advisory firms to help shore up extra cash. It is not the first time Claire's has found itself in hot water. The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in March 2018. This means a company intends to reorganise its debts and assets while remaining in business. Beloved high street chain with 24 Irish locations confirms Dublin city centre store closing down in 10 days in huge blow Since then, the group has largely been controlled by former creditors including investment firms Elliott Management Corp. Julie Palmer, partner at Begbies Traynor said Claire's decision to explore a sale comes as "little surprise". The retail expert said the budget jeweller has been "weighed down" by mounting debt, and Trump's tariffs have only added to its woes. She explained: "Claire's low-price offering is clearly not strong enough to win over its core customers – teens and young adults – as they now have access to a vast array of affordable and convenient products online through platforms like Amazon and Temu. "So, with fewer reasons for its customers to visit their stores, the retailer has struggled to stay relevant". TROUBLE ON THE HIGH STREET Claire's is not the only popular brand to struggle in the face of dwindling sales and rising costs. River Island will close 33 stores and a further 70 could shut for good as part of a restructuring plan. Poundland will close 68 stores following its £1 sale to US investmet firm Gordron Brothers. But even before this announcement, the bargain chain had already planned to close 18 stores, Elsewhere, Hobby Craft and The Original Factory Shop have made a series of closures in the past few weeks. Both were bought by Modella Capital, with the investment firm making a series of closures to help shore up costs at the respective groups. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms 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."
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Parents race to Claire's as much loved five for £10 deal returns to stores – and they sweep up £30 buys for £2
IT'S never been a shop known for its low prices. But there's one time of the year that Claire's customers wait for, and race to their nearest shop to take advantage of. 5 5 5 And that's when the jewellery and accessories shop drops its 5 for £10 deal. Chuffed parents took to Facebook in droves to boast about the bits they'd snapped up. "Sale going 5 for £10 in Claire's, and sale hair and jewellery 10 for £10," one person wrote. They also shared snaps inside the store, with tables of plastic trays - all filled to the brim with bargain bits in the money-saving deal. At the same time, there were also hair and jewellery items being sold for £10 which shoppers could take advantage of. People were quick to comment on the Facebook post, with one writing: "It's back!" and tagging a mate. "This would have made our teen selves so happy!" someone else laughed. "Does anyone know if it is going to be online?" a third questioned. To which the answer was a resounding no. "What do the green stickers mean?" another person asked. Mum left gobsmacked when she's charged £68 for her daughter's ear piercing at Claire's Accessories With someone else answering: "(Green is) 50% off and red stickers are 75% off". The mum wasn't the only parent hitting her local Claire's though, with Lauren also trying her luck. She then took to the same Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group on Facebook to share her buys - which included not one but two Squishmallows. There was also another cuddly toy, a cute notebook, a Disney princess water bottle, some Pokemon socks, a unicorn stationery set and a dressing up kit. Lauren's haul concluded with a cute little bunny zip-up bag. "Are the squishies included in the deal??" one person asked in the comments on Lauren's post. 2025's Jewellery Trends: What's in and what's out? Designer and founder of AJOSEPO, Tofi Caroline Adedoyi revealed the jewellery industry is undergoing an exciting transformation. Big gold earrings - OUT Chunky gold earrings inspired by the '80s have fallen out of fashion. Instead, there is a growing shift towards nostalgic '90s jewellery pieces like hoop earrings that convey elegance and sophistication in 2025. Bold stack rings - IN Stacking rings are set to make a bold statement in 2025. Expect to see asymmetrical stacks featuring irregular shapes and sculptural designs, adding depth and character. Remember to use odd numbers for a more dynamic look—stacking three rings creates a visually engaging and harmonious effect. And choose stackable rings made from solid precious metals such as silver and gold, rather than gemstones for a more sophisticated appearance. Chunky statement pieces - IN While 2024 focused on rectangular paper clip motifs, 2025 will showcase circular forms. This trend is evident in various pieces, including earrings that sway gently in the light, bold necklaces that fluidly drape around the neck, and bracelets and rings that feature soft, rounded shapes. Silver jewellery - IN Silver jewellery continues to be a popular choice this year, celebrated for its versatility and understated elegance. Its sleek, cool-toned finish makes it a perfect accessory for casual outings and formal events, allowing for effortless transitions. Colourful gemstones - IN The jewellery scene is experiencing a vibrant resurgence of bold and colourful gemstones. Striking stones such as luminous quartz, rich black onyx, and fiery red agate dominate designs, providing a refreshing alternative to traditional pearls. Conscious sustainability - IN Eco-friendly materials, ethical sourcing, and responsible production practices are now essential elements of contemporary jewellery. The focus now lies on utilising ethical gold, recycled metals, and lab-grown diamonds, ensuring that aesthetics do not come at the planet's expense. Tip: Research a jeweller's ethical and sustainable practices before purchasing to ensure their values align with yours. At Ajosepo, we exclusively utilise recycled materials, reducing the demand for new mining and minimising our ecological footprint. To which she replied: "Yeah they were £30 originally but in the deal so worked out at £2. "They had loads of different kinds of Squishmallows!" And while others used the comments section to plan their trip to Claire's with friends, another person had a word of warning to share. "I work for Claire's," they wrote. "It's only on for 3 days, and will end Wednesday night." 5 5
