'It's very disappointing and could be another nail in the coffin for the high street': Shoppers speak of sadness as popular Bridgnorth high street store at risk of closure
The potential loss of a major high street store in an historic Shropshire town has been met with reactions of sadness and surprise by residents and visitors.
The Bridgnorth branch of high street retailer The Original Factory Shop is under threat of closure after it was revealed that the store chain, alongside sister company Claire's, looks set to go into administration.
It would mean that more than 1,500 people across the two companies' UK and Irish operations could lose their jobs as the pair of retailers were both bought last year by Modella Capital but it said "neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again".
The Original Factory Shop is housed in Bridgnorth's former Woolworths store in High Street which was also once home to a hotel and sells a broad range of everyday items such as cleaning and beauty products alongside electrical goods and footwear.
The store is one of the largest stores in Bridgnorth's retail community, as well as being one of the chain's best-performing stores in the region, and sees a steady stream of people walking in to have a look around and buy items for their homes.
As the news broke about the possibility of the store closing, the store was still busy on a Tuesday lunchtime, with a number of people walking in to look around and to talk to the staff about the store and their thoughts on the future.
The potential loss of a major store on Bridgnorth's high street was one which several people felt might have an adverse effect on the town, such as Bob Goodman from Bridgnorth.
The 81-year-old, who was out shopping with his wife Barbara, said he felt it would be detrimental to Bridgnorth if it lost another store from the high street.
