PA copyright image Gap, the American apparel retailer, has stated that it will close all of its 81 shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland and shift entirely online. Between the end of August and the end of September, the company claimed it would close all of its outlets “in a staged way.” This includes 19 businesses that were set to close in July because their leases were coming to an end. The company has not said how many employees will be affected by the closures, but it will begin a dialogue process with employees soon. The company stated that it was “not exiting the UK market” and that it would maintain a web-based store once all of the stores had closed. According to a Gap representative, the decision was made after a strategic evaluation of the company’s European operations. Gap is also considering to sell its stores in France and Italy as a result of this. When Gap originally launched in the UK in 1987, it was a huge hit because to its hoodies and sweatshirts. However, it has battled to stay relevant in recent years, relying on heavy discounting to attract customers. Gap was left vulnerable to the chaos of a global epidemic as a result. Last November, it announced a strategic assessment of its whole European operations, warning that it would close all of its UK locations. Only a few weeks ago, 19 stores were revealed to be closing; now the others will follow suit. Gap attributed the decline to “market forces,” or the massive move to online shopping. It, like Debenhams and Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia firm, is going online-only. Another well-known brand is leaving our High Streets, adding to the problem of what to do with empty stores. Gap failed to keep up with the competition, according to consumer and retail analyst Kate Hardcastle, by not offering enough variety or being as cheap as competitors like as Primark. “In physical retail, the brands you want to buy with have to give so much more than just items; they have to have a purpose,” she explains. She goes on to say, “It just didn’t feel like a corporation that had embraced the new consumer.” The company stated that it was in talks with another company to take over all of its French locations. Gap said it was in talks with a partner in Italy about the possibility of buying the outlets. “Gap’s global brand power is something we believe in. We’re following Gap’s Power Plan and collaborating to expand our worldwide reach “According to the spokeswoman. “We have no plans to leave the UK market. In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, we will continue to run and operate our Gap e-commerce company.” Since the pandemic-enforced lockdowns, a source close to the company said, the company has witnessed a rapid rise of internet shopping for its clothing in the UK. The action is the latest blow to UK high streets, which are already reeling from the pandemic’s collapse of the Debenhams and Arcadia retail empires. After being purchased by retailer Boohoo for £55 million in January, the Debenhams brand has continued online, and now Gap has joined the ranks of brick-and-mortar clothing retailers that have gone online. Are you a Gap employee? Have your say by sending an email to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to speak with a BBC journalist, please include your phone number. You can also contact us using the following methods: +44 7756 165803 (WhatsApp) Upload photos or video to @BBC HaveYourSayUpload on Twitter: @BBC HaveYourSayUpload on Facebook: @BBC Ha Please read our terms and conditions as well as our privacy statement. If you can’t see the form on this page, go to the BBC’s mobile website to submit your question or remark, or email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Any entry should include your name, age, and location. RetailingCompaniesFashion/n
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