Everything you need to know about Claire’s and TOFS closures

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Failed rescue attempts have put 2,500 UK jobs at risk across the two chains

Claire’s and TOFS have entered administration, risking 2,500 UK jobs despite Modella Capital’s previous rescue efforts.(Image: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

Everything you need to know about Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop closures

Scotland’s high streets face a setback as Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) enter administration. Both chains had undergone restructuring before being bought by Modella Capital last year.
“Last-ditch” efforts to save the businesses failed, putting around 2,500 UK jobs at risk. Modella said starting insolvency proceedings was a “tough decision” but necessary.
Claire’s has 1,355 employees across 154 stores in the UK and Ireland at risk. TOFS faces 1,220 jobs at 140 stores under threat.
US-based Claire’s sells accessories and jewellery for tweens and teens. Over 140 UK branches closed last year, including 16 in Scotland when Modella did not take them on.
Only nine Claire’s stores remain in Scotland, all facing an uncertain future. TOFS, a discount chain founded in the 1960s, operates 30 Scottish branches, which are also at risk.
Modella cited tough trading conditions, weak consumer confidence, rising costs, and government policies as factors harming retailers. The firm warned that continued closures risk job losses across the country.
Claire’s filed for bankruptcy in the US in August, reporting $690 million (£508 million) in debt. Modella purchased 156 UK stores, saving around 1,000 jobs, but 145 shops closed, affecting roughly 1,000 staff.
The fashion chain first went bankrupt in 2018 and has been controlled by creditors including Elliott Management and Monarch Alternative Capital. The closures add further pressure on an already struggling high street.

Read the full report: Claire’s and TOFS stores facing closure in Scotland – full list of 39 shops at risk

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