Staff overjoyed after Bonmarche saved from closure in South Shields

The King Street shop was due to close after the retailer announced that it had collapsed into administration in October 2019, putting thousands of jobs at risk.

It was the second time the company had fallen into administration in the last seven years, after struggling with rising costs and lack of custom from high street shoppers.

In the run up to Christmas, the South Shields shop was announced as one of its 30 under-performing stores that would close.

But now staff in the South Shields store are celebrating after it was confirmed that Bonmarche would remain open following a takeover by The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group (EWM).

This means that all seven staff at the store will keep their jobs and customers will be able to continue shopping at the store.

Closing down posters in the shop window have now been replaced by a notice to customers saying that it will continue to trade as normal.

A member of staff at the store said the team were delighted Bonmarche would be staying open.

In a statement on its website Bonmarche said: “A new chapter: Thank you for all of your support.

“We’re now under new ownership and are excited to welcome you back as part of The EWM Group.”

A spokeswoman for Bonmarche said: “We are working hard to secure as many stores as possible.”

And the news will be welcomed by South Shields residents who expressed sadness that the town centre was to lose another shop.

King Street has lost a number of household names in the last year alone, including the closure of travel company TUI which shut up shop permanently on Wednesday, December 18.

Neighbouring store, the jewellers H Samuel also closed down in October, following the likes of Vision Express and Burton Menswear which closed earlier this year.

South Shields is currently in the midst of its 365 regeneration programme to transform the town centre and is in the running for a slice of £675 million government funding to help UK high streets.