The Original Factory Shop launches huge 70% off closing down sales ahead of shutting NINE stores in days

The Sun

3 hours ago

THE Original Factory Shop has launched a huge closing down sale ahead of the brand shutting nine of its stores within days.
One of the discount department stores due to close in Pembrokeshire has slashed prices on everything by a whopping 70%.
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The Original Factory Shop in Milford Haven is set to shut up shop next week.
Branch Store Manager, Mandy Salter, announced the massive sale on Facebook on Thursday, June 19.
She said: "The Original Factory Shop, Milford Haven, now has 70% off across everything in store.
"Only 7 days left to trade as closing our doors on 26th June for the final time."
Over June, nine stores will be closing it total, including sites in Dorset and Durham.
The Sun reported on the Cupar site closure earlier last week with huge discounts ahead of its closure in July.
Another site in Middlewich is also set to close, but a date is yet to be confirmed while another site is due to close in July.
You can see the full list of store closures here:
Heswall, Merseyside - June 21
Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire - June 26
Perth - June 28
Chester Le Street, County Durham - June 28
Arbroath, Angus - June 28
Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire - June 28
Pershore, Worcestershire - June 28
Normanton, West Yorkshire - June 28
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - June 28
Shaftesbury, Dorset - June 28
Staveley, Cumbria - July 12
Cupar, Fife - July 27
Middlewich, Cheshire - TBC
The Milford Haven site previously announced its closure in May with a post on the store's Facebook page.
The announcement read: "With a heavy heart we regret to inform you that the rumours are true.
"The Original Factory Shop Milford Haven has served you for 15 years and will be closing its doors for the final time on the 26th June."
The post encouraged shoppers to pop in and grab a bargain and that they were "proud" of being part of the community.
It added: "At this time we ask that you are considerate and respectful to our team as we are truly devastated."
The death of the high street is the death of communities
Shoppers flocked to the comments to express their sadness at losing the store.
One commented: "So sorry to hear this, all the staff are absolutely wonderful.
"A great loss to Milford Haven - now where do we shop for reasonably priced clothes and shoes?"
Another simply said: "So, so sorry, love all the staff".
Meanwhile, another five stores across Nairn, Market Drayton, Troon, Blairgowrie and Castle Douglas have been put up for sale.
The Original Factory Shop has told The Sun that negotiations are ongoing with landlords - making it unclear whether these shops will remain open.
What's happening to the Original Factory Shop?
Private equity firm Modella bought The Original Factory Shop back in February and has since launched a restructuring effort to renegotiate rents at 88 TOFS stores.
Modella is known for picking up struggling retailers, having also recently acquired Hobbycraft and WHSmith 's high street shops.
It is set to rebrand all WHSmith high street stores to TGJones, and has brought in advisers to look at potential options for Hobbycraft.
At the end of April, Modella drew up plans to initiate a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) for TOFS.
Companies often use CVAs to prevent insolvency, which could otherwise result in store closures or the collapse of the entire business.
They allow firms to explore different strategies such as negotiating reduced rent rates with landlords.
TOFS previously told The Press and Journal that a "number of loss-making stores will have to close" as part of the restructuring.
It said at the time: "Closing stores is always a tough decision and we are committed to keeping as many stores open as possible.
"This is, however, dependent on successful negotiations with landlords as we strive to build a sustainable and successful business for the future."
The Original Factory shop has already shuttered more than a dozen stores over the past 12 months.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025."
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
"By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."