MOTHERCARE Ireland has no plans to close any stores, it said, after its counterpart in Britain announced 50 closures this morning.
The Dublin-based retailer has been quick to distance itself from its troubled namesake after Mothercare UK, which has already almost halved the number of stores it has in the past five years, said that its financial outlook was "perilous" and that it will be closing another 50 stores in Britain, and putting 800 jobs at risk.
Family-run business Mothercare Ireland may have the same name but it is a wholly separate entity and the Ward family - who acquired the company in 1992 - have been quick to clarify reports in the Irish press linking the two.
Commenting on the plan Jonathan Ward, Managing Director of Mothercare Ireland said in a statement: “Mothercare UK have this morning released their refinancing and UK store restructuring plan. Mothercare Ireland is a completely separate company and as a result our 15 Irish stores are unaffected by any plans in the proposal and will continue to trade as normal.”
Mothercare Ireland was forced to close three shops in 2015 as financial troubles forced the company to go into examinership.
But it came out of examinership with 15 Mothercare and Early Learning Centre stores across Ireland and now employs about 275 people. Last year it recorded a small operating profit after savings made from the closures of its Blackrock and Jervis Street stores in Dublin and the Cruises Street shop in Limerick.
