Joules shops in Union Square and Eastgate Shopping Centre have been closed – despite previous plans to keep staff on.
When the high-street retailer faced collapse in November last year, workers at its stores in Aberdeen and Inverness faced an uncertain future.
Leicestershire-based Joules drafted in administrators Interpath Advisory after failing to secure emergency funding following a surge in costs and slowdown in customers demand.
Retail rival Next and founder Tom Joule managed to strike a deal saving the brand with Next owning a 74% stake in the business and Mr Joule keeping 26%.
In December, staff were told the company planned to keep the stores in Aberdeen and Inverness open.
However, the high street retailer’s stores in Union Square, Aberdeen and Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness are now lying empty.
Branding removed from shop fronts
Joules – famous for its posh wellies – was founded by Tom Joule, and started out selling clothes at country shows in 1989.
With its windows painted and all branding removed from the shopfront in Aberdeen, it appears the brand will not be returning to Union Square.
The retailer’s shop in Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness also closed its doors on May 20.
It is the latest high street brand to face problems as retailers cut back on spending due to the cost-of-living crisis.
It follows after administrators closed 19 stores in December last year leading to 133 redundancies.
At the time, Next said it would continue to run around 100 of Joules’ 124 stores – including stores in Union Square, Aberdeen, and Eastgate Shopping Centre, Inverness.
Around 10 jobs, a mixture of full and part-time, were saved at the Union Square branch but it appears plans for the stores have since changed.
When asked to comment on the future of the store space, a spokeswoman for Union Square said: “We’re always looking at new ways to enhance the brand mix at Union Square which has been reflected by a number of recent openings.
“Our focus continues to be on delivering for our customers with new brands, concepts and experiences that engage and excite. We look forward to providing more updates in the near future.”
Next and Joules have been contacted to comment.
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