Claire’s Accessories goes under - blaming Rachel Reeves for the 1,300 jobs lost

[ProudAmberTurtle]

Claire’s Accessories has just gone bust - and over 1,300 people have lost their jobs.

I know it’s overpriced plastic and the piercing guns were always a bit controversial, but it’s been a total rite of passage for many girls. First earrings, birthday parties and that excitement of spending their pocket money on some glittery rubbish... it feels like another bit of childhood nostalgia is being wiped out.

But what’s really grating is why. According to the owner, the final nail in the coffin was the massive hike in National Insurance contributions from Rachel Reeves. It wasn't the only factor obviously - the high street is doing very badly, but it was the decisive factor.

How can a business that relies on young, part-time staff survive when their overheads have just been hiked through the roof? It’s not just the big brands; it’s the independent shops too. We’re going to be left with nothing but vape shops and empty units at this rate.

There was a report yesterday that Starmer will sack Reeves if the local elections go badly for him. Why can't they both go whatever the result?

My DD worked for them (until last weekend) and it was the internet competition that did for them. People would come in with their little girls, get them to browse, and then tell them they would buy the stuff online as its cheaper. The only time it was really busy was when they discounted heavily. Most of the money was made on piercing and loads of other places do that. Other than that it wasn't a bad place to work as a student and she learnt a useful skill.

I think it’ll take out the more at risk first, and perhaps people will say oh who cares it’s only CA but the policies are not better for that and the impact on jobs is just as bad.

I’m amazed Claire’s lasted this long. They’ve been really overpriced for years for plastic glitter coated tat and there is no chance on earth I’d let them go after my daughters ears with a piercing gun! They didn’t adjust a failing business model and now 1300 people are losing their jobs. It’s sad and I feel for the staff.

Well, this is a process that has been rather long established, and again was happening well before Starmer started having his morning shit in 10 Downing Street. It had taken bigger names than Claire's out back when various Tories were in charge.

I'm all for doing something about the likes of Temu, but very much doubt Claire's is going to be an example that gets much public buy-in for such policy change.

Retail and hospitality have both said to Labour why the policies are not a good idea for jobs or surviving. They won’t hear it.

I am sorry about your DD's job. What is the job market like for students at the moment?

Which is fine, but again, this is a process that was underway well before the NI increase and Claire's in particular was always going to be screwed sooner rather than later.

Yes, I don't even normally post on here but surely anyone who pays the slightest bit of attention knows the Greens and Reform are likely to pick up a lot of seats with Labour and the Tories losing them.

Thank you. She graduates this summer so will be looking for something full time. Very concerned about that job market. Most of her friends have been able to find work but it's a big city uni.

I stopped going there after you had to provide an email address or raise merry hell to get a paper receipt.

I never had a problem getting a receipt.
I just asked and they issued one.

I've always found the worst for that to be New Look.

Oh he is screwed in the locals. Either green, restore or reform will get in, though Reform are ahead.

Then you got preferential treatment, PP

They are the only place that does lip piercing jewellery that isn't shit. I will miss them. Also love their little tiaras.

Lovisa has opened in our town and it's well under half the price of Claire's. I stopped shopping there because for the price I was paying, I could get something at Warren James that was much nicer. It's a shame but the prices were daft.

I thought Claire’s Accessories went under a few years ago.

Maybe?
I regularly used 5 different branches in completely different parts of the country and never had a problem.
I guess I was lucky 🤷

This

Everyone fine with businesses going under sooner might regret it when they too have dc looking for work.

Unfortunately there will always be businesses which don’t move with the times in one way or another, so they go under.

We would spent hours in Topshop.
Im gutted my daughter won’t get to be able to do that with her mates.
No miss Selfridge. No Kookai. Warehouse and oasis gone. Jane Norman. So many shops. What do they have now-primark?!

Presumably the owner will now be turning to other ways of making money, and that isn't going to be helped by admitting to bad business decisions. Blaming the government is a much better tactic.

It is a shame to see another chain go under (and another empty shop on my local high street), but I’m actually surprised Claire’s lasted this long. It’s very overpriced and the stores are always small,
crowded and messy. Places like primark have the same tat for a fraction of the price

We might as well close down everything on the high street now. No one can compete with Chinese tat. Of course Claire’s had to charge more - they have more overheads! They did actually buy goods from India and had quite a good selection when my dc were young. However we don’t want to pay for what’s in shops unless it’s dirt cheap sweat shop rubbish so we now just get that on line. So what’s the point of the high street? There’s not one really.