'Huge disappointment' for Bridgnorth as Original Factory Shop under threat
The Bridgnorth branch of high street retailer The Original Factory Shop is under threat of closure in what would be "a huge disappointment" for the town.
The store chain, alongside sister company Claire's, looks set to go into administration, meaning more than 1,500 people across the two companies' UK and Irish operations could lose their jobs.
The pair of retailers were both bought last year by Modella Capital but it said "neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again".
The Original Factory Shop is housed in Bridgnorth's former Woolworths store in High Street which was also once home to a hotel.
It sells a broad range of everyday items such as cleaning and beauty products alongside electrical goods and footwear and is one of the largest stores in Bridgnorth's retail community.
The threatened closure follows the news announced in August that the chain was shutting its branches in Whitchurch and Market Drayton.
The Bridgnorth branch was one the chain's best-performing stores in the region, according to Sally Themans who is head of place with local consultancy Good2Great which runs the Love Wellington and Love Bridgnorth initiatives.
She told the Shropshire Star: "It was well managed and provides employment for a large team of dedicated local people.
"It was always busy, drawing many shoppers to the town. Our thoughts are with those whose jobs are at risk. Of course, there is concern about this large retail space in Bridgnorth potentially becoming vacant as it's difficult to fill them.
"While this is a huge disappointment for Bridgnorth, there is some good news on our High Street as two new ventures are due to open in the coming months.
"We hope that this prime retail location in our wonderful town will prove attractive to a future investor."
In 2024, Bridgnorth rejected the chance to create a business improvement district (BID) for the town.
These bodies receive money via an additional levy on business rates which is then invested back into initiatives and to recruit staff whose job it is to boost town centres.
Ms Themans added: "While a BID would not have been able to influence the fortunes of a large national retailer such as The Original Factory Shop, it would have meant that discussions and negotiations around the future of this important retail space would be proactively managed.
"The impact of successful BIDs has been evident in Oswestry and Shrewsbury in recent years and Stourbridge which adopted one in January 2025."
Claire's, whose UK arm is headquartered in Birmingham, sells jewellery and accessories aimed primarily at teenaged girls.
It runs stores in Shrewsbury's Darwin Centre and the Telford Centre and suffered a round of closures last autumn following the buyout deal.
In total, 1,355 employees across the UK and Ireland are now at risk across 154 Claire's shops alongside 1,220 staff across 140 Original Factory stores.
The two retailers had already undergone restructuring after being bought by Modella Capital but it said it had made the "tough decision" to kickstart insolvency proceedings for the businesses.
Court records show that a notice of intention to appoint an administrator was filed in relation to both chains yesterday.
A statement from Modella Capital said: "We have worked intensively in an effort to save both businesses, having made last-ditch attempts to rescue them, but neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again.
"In these circumstances, administration is the only option. In both cases, the legacy effects of trading prior to our ownership left them highly vulnerable.
"The climate on the high street remains extremely challenging and The Original Factory Shop and Claire's are not alone in experiencing difficulties.
"A combination of very weak consumer confidence, highly adverse government fiscal policies and continued cost inflation is causing many established and much-loved businesses to suffer badly.
"It's a simple fact that if retailers can't make money, they risk having to close and jobs across the country are lost."Modella Capital also owns WH Smith's high street chain and acquired arts and crafts retailer Hobbycraft in 2024.
