A fashion accessories chain has shut down all 154 of its stores across the UK and Ireland, including two outlets in Sussex.

Approximately 1,300 staff members face losing their positions as a direct result of the shutdowns.

The Sussex branches consisted of one shop in Crawley and another in Eastbourne.

The business’s 356 concession counters, the various Asda in-store departments, and head office operations have not been impacted by these changes.

This comes after Modella Capital brought in Kroll to handle the administration process earlier in the year.

A spokesperson for Kroll indicated that business at all Claire’s standalone stores across the UK and Ireland stopped on April 27. All employees have been notified about their redundancy. Discussions are taking place between a prospective purchaser and several landlords regarding lease terms for certain sites.

Last August, the company entered administration for its UK and Ireland operations.

The American parent firm sent official notice to administrators through advisory company Interpath.

Interpath subsequently revealed that Will Wright and Chris Pole had been appointed as joint administrators for the enterprise.

At that time, Will Wright, UK chief executive at Interpath, observed that Claire’s had remained hugely popular throughout Britain, recognised not only for its trendy accessories but also as the preferred destination for ear piercing services. In the weeks ahead, they intended to maintain trading at all stores for as long as feasible while assessing the company’s options, which would involve examining whether a purchase agreement could be arranged to ensure this beloved brand continued operating.