This month has been hard on many retailers, with the start of 2025 marking a wave of high-street closures, one of the biggest being New Look. The fashion retailer has been a staple of British shopping for over 56 years, but that time may be coming to a close.
News of the liquidation of all Republic of Ireland stores is bad news for the 347 employees who find themselves facing redundancy. This could forecast dire times for the UK, as local stores such as the Team Valley Gateshead location have already announced that they will shut their doors.
You might need to know a few things in the lead-up to more news from the retailer, especially if you have returns or gift cards. The latter is most prudent, as some stores are apparently refusing them.
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When the news of the Irish closures came out, the stores opened for a liquidation sale, but some stores were telling people with vouchers that they couldn’t spend them in the sale. One woman spoke to the Irish Sun about her encounter.
She explained that a worker at the shop door informed her that no vouchers were being accepted. She paraphrased the worker: “You can sign a form—there’s a form here, a claim form—to claim it back. And you have to put your vouchers in with the claim form.”
Following consumer reports, the Irish consumer watchdog, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said, “The Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Act 2019 covers the use of gift vouchers in Ireland. This legislation contains no exemption for sales of any kind, including closing-down sales.
“Officers from the CCPC contacted the liquidators in this case late last week regarding a number of consumer protection concerns. In our correspondence, we sought clarification on arrangements for the use of gift vouchers by consumers. Engagement with the liquidators is ongoing.”
A spokesperson for New Look said, “Per last week’s statement, the Provisional Liquidators have taken over the management of the New Look ROI business, including stock and voucher matters.”
The closure of the New Look in Team Valley shopping park is confirmed for March 9th, but if you have a voucher, it may be worth taking some backup cash just in case, as the dispute between New Look and the CCPC has yet to be solved.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/new-look-gift-voucher-rules-31086059
