SHOPPERS have cried “another vanishes” after a major fashion retailer announced it is closing one of its stores for good.
Jack Wills is gearing up to pull down the shutters on its branch in Worcester city centre in early 2024.
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Signs announcing the closure have appeared inside the shop and outside on its front windows, Worcester News reports.
They read: “Jack Wills – This store will be closing February 2024.
“Closing down 20% off full price.”
Signs are also directing customers to shop online with a link to the firm’s website.
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The Sun approached Frasers Group, owner of Jack Wills, for comment and asked when the store will close for good.
Local residents have shared their shock following the news the branch will close permanently.
One said: “Pure classic. Another vanishes.”
Meanwhile, a second said: “Another one bites the dust, anything decent leaves this dreadful city centre.”
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A third added: “The end of the high street draws ever nearer.”
And a fourth said: “Not another shop going going gone.”
It comes following a string of Jack Will store closures across the UK.
The chain was bought out by Mike Ashley‘s Sports Direct, part of the Frasers Group, in August 2019 as part of a £12.75million bid.
At the time, there were 110 stores across the UK and Ireland.
But the preppy fashion brand lost its appeal in the following years as sixth-formers and university students turned to grungier styles.
In March 2020, it announced it would permanently close nine stores, just days after revealing five would shut.
The retailer also shut its branch in St Andrews, Scotland, in October, while closing down sale signs recently cropped up in its branch in Drake Circus Shopping Centre in Plymouth.
Meanwhile, shoppers in Taunton spotted the same signs outside of their local Jack Wills store.
House of Fraser, owned by The Fraser Group, has also announced closures in recent months.
And in May this year, Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group threatened to axe 200 jobs in a bid to cut costs across the business.
It isn’t the only group that’s struggling on the high street.
Some firms have collapsed into administration in the last 24 months, including Wilko, M&Co and Paperchase.
A number of other retailers have survived but have been forced to close stores.
In June, Boots Pharmacy announced plans to massively consolidate its portfolio of UK locations from 2,200 to 1,900.
Meanwhile, fashion retailer New Look has closed a string of stores this year, including in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds.
But it’s not all bad news as retailers and chains have been opening branches between them too, including New Look.
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KFC recently announced plans to open 10 new locations between the start of November and early 2024.
Meanwhile, Poundland has bought out dozens of former Wilko sites and has already opened some of them under its brand name.
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