An Arnold shop destined to close this month will now be staying open. Clarks confirmed in November that its factory shop in Front Street would be closing in January.
However, it has emerged the store will now be staying after a new lease was completed with the landlord. Customers will be pleased as previously they voiced their frustration and disappointment over the shop closing. One said: "Feel really concerned about the closing down of shops in Arnold over the years. My age group has not got the energy/mobility to go into town trying on shoes."
The U-turn comes following the closure of one of the company's shops in Nottingham city centre. The Wheeler Gate branch has gone but a second branch, just a few minutes' walk across Old Market Square, remains open in Long Row.
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A spokesman for Clarks said: "Clarks continually reviews its stores to ensure that they are the right size and in the right locations to provide the best possible service to our customers. We took the decision to close our Nottingham Wheeler Gate store in January this year. Our stores on Long Row, Nottingham, and in Arnold remain open.
"We have a strong duty of care to our employees, and we have ensured that all colleagues at our Wheeler Gate store have been offered roles in our Long Row store.”
Nottinghamshire Live readers said the decision made sense. Ella Boyce said: "There’s one in the Square so there isn’t any point or enough footfall to warrant two shops so close to each other." Vicky Thorpe agreed: "There's another Clarks within a two-minute walking distance - never understood the need for two that close together anyway."
Others said the closure didn't come as a shock. Tina Beasley commented: "Not surprised, how many students do you see shopping in Clarks, end of the day that's all we have in this city these days, just endless amounts of students and everything is now geared towards providing for them. Fast food shops, cheap clothing shops, charity shops, pubs... There's nothing in this city centre for actual residents anymore."
Keith Belshaw added: "Clarks has been failing for many years now, at one time a pair of Clarks would last for years, would be repairable on sole and heel and still look fantastic. However, since production was moved away from the UK the product has suffered. Still great styles, still a comfortable fit, but don't last five minutes."
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