Half of Claire's Stores Saved in Deal, Leaving Stafford Branch in Doubt

A rescue deal has been agreed for Claire's UK, but the future of the brand's Stafford store remains uncertain. Retail investor Modella Capital has bought 145 of the accessory chain's stores out of administration, leaving 156 branches, including potentially the one at Stafford's Riverside, at risk of closure.

The news comes after Claire's collapsed into administration, throwing the future of the entire UK business into question. While today's deal saves thousands of jobs nationally, it creates an anxious waiting period for staff in stores not yet confirmed as part of the sale.

At present, no list has been released detailing which of the 301 stores have been saved. This means the staff at the popular Riverside store in Stafford face an uncertain future as they wait for confirmation on whether their branch is included in the deal.

The partial sale highlights the challenging conditions on the UK high street. Modella Capital will now focus on stabilising the 145 stores it has acquired, while administrators are expected to begin the process of winding down the remaining locations that were not part of the deal.