‘Terrible shame’ as iconic shoe retailer with 320 branches to shut store doors for good after Christmas
AN ICONIC shoe retailer with 320 branches will close down one of its stores for the final time after Christmas.
Clarks has announced that it will bring an end to its outlet in Bicester Village on December 31.
The Oxfordshire-based shoe shop is already offering customers up to 60% off selected items in order to flog the last remains of its stock, according to the .
And with just over two weeks remaining, shoppers will need to be quick if they wish to purchase a discounted pair of shoes.
However, Clarks did not specify the reason for the store closure when contacted by The Sun.
A spokesperson said: “Clarks confirms its store at the Bicester Outlet Village, will close at the end of December 2023.
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"We have a strong duty of care to all our employees, and we are working closely with the store team as they go through a period of consultation.
"We thank them all for their dedication in serving our customers over the years.
"We’d like to thank our loyal customers who have shopped with us at our Bicester store, and we’ll be delighted to continue to serve them with our full range of products online and at our nearby Clarks stores in Oxford, Banbury and Witney.”
The closest of those three stores is in Oxford, which is around 13 miles away and takes approximately 25-35 minutes to drive.
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Following the news, however, Clarks customers have been left shocked and upset that their local store is closing.
"That’s such a shame, I wasn’t aware," said one person on the Facebook group. "It’s always busy when I’ve been in and so handy for school shoes."
A second person added: "Gutted! Love that shop and will miss it."
"Devastating," cried a third, while a fourth said: "What a terrible shame."
The Clarks outlet in Bicester Village is expected to retain its usual store opening times until it closes.
It will be open from 9am-8pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am-9pm Thursday to Saturday and 10am-7pm on Sunday's.
However, it will be shut on Christmas Day, while hours are expected to be reduced on Boxing Day.
Last month, Clarks also brought the shutters down on its site in Newport Retail Park amid an ongoing battle high street chains continue to face.
It came shortly after its branches in Norwich and Westwood Cross Shopping Centre, Kent, were saved from closure.
Clarks had planned to close both stores for good but made a U-turn on the decision and decided they would remain open and continue to trade.
Clarks aren't the only retailer struggling to stay afloat, with many businesses suffering from the challenges posed by the current economic climate.
With the cost of living continue to rise, shoppers have less money to spend in stores and therefore contribute to low income for retailers.
In turn, they are also struggling to stay on top of their rising bill costs.
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