Iconic high street chain is making a comeback next month after closing all stores

Famous high street chain Claire’s Accessories is set to return to dozens of towns and cities across Britain from next month, weeks after it announcing its closure.

Claire’s new owner is reportedly in talks with landlords to reopen up to 10 shops a week from June.

More than 1,000 people lost their jobs when the jewellery and accessories chain closed all of its 154 stores in April, three months after it went into administration.

However, its fortunes appear to have been revived by French entrepreneur Julien Jarjoura, who is currently signing leases to reopen Claire’s stores from next month.

Speaking to The Guardian, Jarjoura, who is behind jewellery company Une Ligne, said: ‘The brand was basically dead and we’re bringing it back to life.’

His plans have reportedly been given the go-ahead by Claire’s US owners, Ames Watson.

Mr Jarjoura said: ‘A lot of people think Claire’s is a British brand. It is extremely famous in the UK and there is no way it is going away.’

Mr Jarjoura first tried to buy Claire’s when it fell into administration in January. Speaking this week, he said he was aiming to reopen four to 10 stores a week from June.

Once reopened, he said the chain’s approach will be to invest in the brand to attract new customers while moving away from overpriced products and heavy discounting.

Instead, he plans to revamp the brand while continuing to offer ear-piercing services and also introducing new jewellery and accessories which will range from £1.90 to more than £100.

‘There will definitely be some brand repositioning,’ he said. ‘We are not a discount store but we like to sell stuff at a fair price.’

The payoff for this investment will take three to five years to come to fruition, he admitted, as he confessed that the chain’s collapse had damaged the brand.

However, this incarnation is debt-free and is funded by Mr Jarjoura.

‘We need to invest in the business,’ he said. ‘We are not unrealistic in terms of getting benefits from this company for three to five years.’

He also dismissed concerns about the UK’s business rates and employment costs. 

‘Nothing is easy but you can’t always be blaming someone else for your own faults,’ he said.

Jarjoura already runs about 240 Claire’s stores across Europe and hired some of its former UK executives ahead of the mooted relaunch.

He is expected to keep open some of its 356 concessions but has not taken on the previous head office in Birmingham or bought old stock from administrators Kroll.

Metro has approached Une Ligne for comment.

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