SHOPPERS have been left devastated as a high street fashion chain bought by Next closes another of its 62 stores today.
The struggling brand – famous for its posh wellies – is the latest to bite the dust after falling into administration.
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The Joules site in Oban, Scotland is pulling down the shutters today for the last time.
Fashion giant Next attempted to rescue the brand in 2022 following a terrible collapse.
Staff took to social media to announce the sad news to its loyal customers.
In a Facebook post, they said: “Our much loved Oban Joules will open its doors for the very last time on Saturday the 10th of February.
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“Our time in Oban has been great and we thank you all for your continuous support and a massive thank you to our regulars.
“Please pop in before we shut if you can and have a browse at what we have to offer.”
Dozens of shoppers flocked to the comments section to mourn the loss of their “favourite” store in George Street.
A loyal customer said: “It’s terrible that it’s shutting. I bought a lot from there.”
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Another added: “Loved that store there is no where to buy clothes in Oban.”
Next splashed a whopping £34million in the high-street fashion retailer after it fell into administration.
Joules bosses said it was struggling in the wake of rising costs and cheaper brands.
Despite the huge deal, a total of 19 stores closed their doors for good.
The Oban branch is now the latest to shut in the past year as part of restructuring plans.
The Joules site in Bracknell also shut last month – leaving loyal customers gutted.
Three other sites shut down between May and August in 2023, these include Chelmsford, Harrogate and Nottingham.
In April, Next announced the relaunch of Joules had been moved forward from March 2024.
It transferred Joules’ online operation onto its own in October, five months earlier than planned.
‘LITTLE LEFT FOR LOCALS’
The retailer said the move comes in a bid to secure “cost savings”.
But locals in Oban have slammed the decision as it will their high street empty.
Many fear the vacant site will become another souvenir store for tourists.
One blasted: “Please, no more Scottish souvenirs and tartan shops! This is not a true reflection of what Oban is about.
“Such a terrible shame this beautiful town is looking so tired and dated. It needs a good shake.”
Others are begging the council to bring new stores to their town.
One user said: “Come on Argyll and Bute Council give Oban locals what they want.
“We are the ones keeping the town open in the winter then get tossed away when it’s tartan tourist time.”
Another fumed: “Very little left for locals now and tourists who don’t want to buy the same tourist items they can’t get everywhere else. Very sad. Good luck for the future to all your staff.
“So sorry to read this. It was one of the two good clothes shops in Oban with such lovely, helpful staff.”
At its peak, Joules had 132 stores and employed 1,600 people.
Shoppers can browse the entire Joules collection on its website.
The wave of closures has hit dozens of beloved retailers across the country.
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The Works – a discount retailer specialised in crafts – is set to shut down their branch in Caernarfon, Wales on March 17.
Elsewhere, shoppers were left disappointed after popular WHSmith announced it will close one of its branches in Margate, Kent for good.
What are my rights if a company I’ve ordered from goes bust or stops trading?
According to Citizen Advice, you might end up without the item you paid for or with unfinished work if a company or trader stops trading or goes out of business.
There are several ways to try to get your money back or get the work done.
But, there’s no guarantee you’ll get what you paid for.
You should call the company, visit their office or shop, or write to them to find out what’s happening.
Explain what you’ve paid for and ask for the item you bought or a refund.
If you can’t get hold of a company or want to confirm that they’ve gone out of business you can search for their name on:
- the Companies House website if they’re a limited company (with the letters ‘Ltd’ or ‘Plc’ after their name)
- the Insolvency Register if they’re an individual (a sole trader) or a partnership – search both the name of the person and their trading name
It can take a few weeks for information to appear on these websites.
