A business review has led to the closure of nine Jones Bootmaker stores, adding to the 25 that were shut down as part of the rescue deal from the retailer’s near-collapse earlier this year.
According to Drapers, Jones Bootmaker’s store estate underwent a review by new owners, private equity firm Endless, which led to the decision to close a further nine shops over the weekend.
It is not yet clear how many job losses this could incur.
Drapers also cited sources that speculated another 10 stores were “at risk of closure” due to poor trade.
The locations of these stores have not yet been confirmed, although Drapers cited sources saying the targeted stores were in “expensive locations in large towns or cities”.
READ MORE: Jones Bootmaker rescued in last-minute pre-pack administration deal
A Jones Bootmaker spokeswoman said the management team were focusing on “stability and delivering long-term growth to ensure the retailer is here for another 160 years”.
The retailer also could not confirm on how many more stores could close down, as talks with landlords were still ongoing.
The 160-year-old footwear retailer was rescued from near-collapse through a pre-pack administration in March, which saw Endless take over 72 of its stores.
However, 25 other stores which were under-performing as well as six concessions we not part of that sale and subsequently shut down.
Jones Bootmaker is also reportedly rolling out a refitting scheme for its 63 remaining stores in the UK, which is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
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