Another blow to the struggling British High Streets as Clintons loses another card shop with more branches due to close in days
Clintons has lost another card shop in the next big blow to Britain’s struggling high streets, with more branches due to close in days.
The chain will close its branch in the Kirkcaldy shopping center on April 8, according to fife today.
It comes after three stores will close permanently later this month, Sun revealed.
The store in Whitehaven, Cumbria will close tomorrow, while the Bolton’s Market Street store will also close at the end of the month.
The future of the staff working in the affected stores remains uncertain.
Clintons in Kirkcaldy shopping center (pictured) is set to close, with more branches shuttered for days as the retailer struggles to stay afloat
The closure of Clintons in the Kirkcaldy shopping center comes as the brand has struggled in recent years, partly due to high merchant fees and a widespread shift to online shopping.
MailOnline has contacted Clintons to confirm all closing dates and whether the retailer plans to close any more stores in 2023.
What Clintons stores are closing?
1. Kirkcaldy Shopping Center
Closing: April 8
2. Whitehaven, Cumbria
Closing: March 19
3. Bolton Market Street
Closing: At the end of the month, but date not confirmed
Last year, Clintons closed the doors of three of its stores forever.
Its Dorchester branch closed on December 29 and a store in Ayr closed permanently on April 12.
The firm also closed its remaining store in Market Harborough in January 2022.
Founded in 1968, the brand has struggled in recent years, partly due to high merchant fees and a widespread shift to online shopping.
The Card Factory is Clinton’s biggest rival, as well as Funky Pigeon and Moonpig online businesses.
Clintons announced in 2019 that it desperately needed to shut down 66 of its sites to avoid collapse. However, you prevented this by entering a ‘pre-package administration’ in December 2019, according to The Sun.
The Clinton brand and its stores, staff, and website were sold to a new company called Esquire Retail Limited.
However, the move resulted in hundreds of job losses and store closures.
The retailer had 2,500 employees working in 335 stores at its peak.
But by January 2022, there were only 2,000 employees and 238 stores operating.