The future of one of Donegal’s most popular stores has been thrown into doubt.
Jane Norman at Tempest in Letterkenny is one of the county’s best-known High Street brands.
The operator which runs the concession store, Jane Norman, has announced it is closing five of its other stores in Ireland.
The fate of the UK fashion chain’s Kildare outlet and a number of department store concessions hang in the balance.
The clothing retailer became the latest UK high street name to fall foul of the recession when it went into administration after failing to find a buyer.
The chain shut down its stores last weekend, and its administrator Zolfo Cooper confirmed today that five of the chain’s Irish outlets will not re-open.
These stores are located in Dublin shopping centres Liffey Valley and Dundrum, as well as Galway, Dundalk and Cork. A spokeswoman for Zolfo Cooper was unable to confirm how many jobs will be lost as a result of these closures.
The administrator confirmed that 33 out of a total of 94 standalone Jane Norman stores across the UK and Ireland have been sold with immediate effect to Edinburgh Woollen Mill. However just one of the 33 stores saved from closure is in Ireland, and is based in Sligo.
Negotiations relating to the possible sale of a further 28 stores, and a number of concessions, are still ongoing between the administrator and Edinburgh Woollen Mill. The Jane Norman store in Whitewater Shopping Centre in Newbridge, Co Kildare is being considered as part of these negotiations, and therefore may yet re-open for trading.
In addition to seven standalone stores, Jane Norman also operates seven concession outlets in Ireland, four of which are in Debenhams stores in Tallaght, Blanchardstown, Tralee and Cork.
These concessions will continue to trade for the moment “with a view to securing the sale of these as well”, Zolfo Cooper said.
The administrator did not comment on the remaining three Irish concession stores including the one at Letterkenny’s Tempest as well as Tempest Omni Park Dublin and Tullamore.
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