WORKERS AT RETAIL chain Claire’s Accessories have hit out at what they termed “disgusting” treatment of staff after they were told that plans to save much of the company had failed and they are being “laid off without pay” this week.

Dozens of staff at the chain received letters telling them that they won’t receive any formal notice of redundancy until the second week of April even though their jobs are gone as of this week.

Over 100 jobs at the chain here are at risk. There are 14 stores remaining in Ireland – and while not all have been told they must close their doors, announcements have been made at a number of the outlets over recent days.

The US-founded retail company has already undergone restructuring after it was bought by investment firm Modella Capital last year. This saw 20 Claire’s shops across Ireland closed as part of those efforts.

It was confirmed in January, however, that the UK and Irish operation would be wound up and administrators appointed after “last ditch” attempts to keep the shops up and running had failed.

Staff in the Claire’s Accessories store in Dublin’s Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre were told yesterday morning it would close up for good by the evening.

Shops in Blanchardstown and Liffey Valley heard similar in recent days, and there were announcements of closures at the Dundrum, Waterford and Athlone stores. There are fears for jobs at other stores in Swords, Newbridge and Limerick, staff working across the chain told The Journal.

Claire’s – known to generations of children and teenagers for ear piercings and fashion jewellery – has been struggling in recent years with falling sales, mounting debt and the continued shift towards online shopping.

Private equity firm Modella stepped in to buy the company last year from owner Claire’s Holdings LLC after it filed for bankruptcy. It was announced at the start of the year that the UK and Irish operation would be put into administration, with insolvency firm Kroll formally appointed to oversee the process. 

Natalie Treacy, an assistant manager at the Stephen’s Green store who has worked with Claire’s for over a decade, told The Journal that many workers were given “false hope” by the new owner, after it took over last year. 

“We got a call to say your store is close is closed. We’ve two days cleaning up and then we’re gone.”

Letter to staff

In letters sent to staff, and via announcements at various stores, workers were told by the administrators that “extremely difficult decisions” had to be made due to the company’s “insolvency and the challenges it continues to face”.

“The final day of trading at your stores will be Saturday the 14th of March 2026,” a letter to staff at one store said, adding: “You will then be laid off without pay.”

Staff were told that as a 30-day consultation period is currently under way no formal notice of redundancy can be given until 9 April. In the meantime, they will be paid for hours they are “asked to work” at stores.

The statutory redundancy would be available to staff with at least two years of continuous service whose roles are made redundant.

An option has been made available for staff to be “relocated to an alternative store” if there are vacancies, but workers we spoke to were doubtful that would be feasible given the dwindling number of shops.

Geraldine Crooke, who worked for the retailer for the past 16 years, told The Journal that staff are furious over how they were treated.

“We’re the ones getting penalised,” said Crooke.

“We can’t get paid for the month, we can’t get paid by the state through social welfare because we’ll still be listed as staff until 9 April.

“It’s just disgusting to think that this is happening now.”

Crooke had been manager of stores in Arklow and Bray before last year’s administration process saw those shops shuttered and she found herself a new role in the Stephen’s Green shop.

“I was told I would have a job for at least a year – a lot of us have bills and mortgages to pay.”

Crooke said that the 30-day legal consultation with the company should have taken place sooner than now, given staff will be left without wages until they receive their redundancy letter.

Administration

When the Irish and UK chain entered administration in January, Modella said that Claire’s did “not have a realistic possibility of trading profitably again” as the “legacy effects of trading prior to our ownership left them highly vulnerable” in the current market.

It pinned the blame partly on weak consumer confidence and continued cost inflation, while some analysts also questioned whether the brand had adapted to changing trends and tastes among a younger generation quickly enough.

Modella Capital and administrators Kroll Ireland were contacted for comment. A response from Kroll said that the administrators had “acted in line with legal advice received”.