Cannock fashion shop reopens in town 12 months after closing

Fashion Factory, formerly at Vine Lane in Cannock, closed last year, resulting in the loss of 45 jobs.

The company said its lease was coming to an end and it had lost it to another retailer. Bosses had tried to negotiate an extension until after Christmas but were unsuccessful.

The shop has now reopened in Cannock Shopping Centre, giving a boost to those who lost their jobs as well as offering shoppers a chance to bag a bargain.

Company director Venetia Sanders said: "I consulted for Fashion Factory for some of the time it was open in Vine Lane, it was clear the brand had a huge fan base in Cannock and I was devastated when we had the news the landlord had opted to move forward with Home Bargains.

"It's hard for independents to survive when coming up against retail giants. After the store closed it was clear from the overwhelming support through the Facebook page Fashion Factory was a brand that should be saved.

"I began to look for alternative units in the town, with lots of setbacks and a rocky reputation of opening and closing it wasn't the easiest task.

"With the help of the local people and our small team believing we were doing the right thing we kept looking. We stumbled across two empty units within the shopping centre and a few months later, here we are.

"We have contacted employees that worked in the previous store and they were delighted to be back. The store is smaller but we are in a great central location with great bus connections and parking."

The store, which houses several franchises, also closed in July 2012 after 18 years when it went into administration with the loss of 30 jobs.

The business was resurrected by entrepreneur Philip Yates who opened up again three months later, re-employing many ex-staff.