Another blow to Inverness city centre as Clarks shoe shop set to close
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Inverness city centre is set to suffer another blow with the closure of a long-established High Street store.
Clarks shoe shop will close at the end of this month.
It marks the end of the national retail chain's presence in the north of Scotland with branches in the Inverness Shopping Park, Elgin and Fort William having closed in recent years.
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In recent months, the city centre has lost various shops including UK-wide clothing store Joules in Eastgate and Ness Refill in Queensgate plus clothing store M&Co in Academy Street although those premises have been taken over by The Original Factory Shop.
The loss of the Inverness Clarks store, which has been a major supplier of children's shoes as well as adults' shoes, means the nearest branches are now in Perth and Aberdeen, both more than 80 miles away.
Signs of the imminent closure were indicated on the Clarks website with the removal of the Inverness branch from its store locator while today there is visible activity of the shop being prepared for closure.
A spokesperson for the company said: "Clarks confirms its store at High Street, Inverness, will close at the end of September 2023.
"Customers can continue to shop from our full range of products online and have them delivered directly to their home."
The closure of Clarks will have an impact on family-run Beggs Shoes which has its headquarters in Inverness and nine stores from Perth to Lerwick – including one in Inverness High Street.
Begg Shoes is the biggest independent seller of children's shoes in Scotland and second only to Clarks for sales of Clarks Kids shoes in Scotland.
Director Gaven Begg said: "The closure will have a major impact on the stock levels but we are working hard to ensure our store is ready to welcome new customers.
"This has been the story of recent years for our business – our stores are doing well and it's because we offer something a bit different.
"We're conscious the news around the city centre has been pretty negative but Begg Shoes is a great example of where the retreat of a major retail chain makes room for a smaller but smarter local business.
"We have worked hard and been very successful on the same High Street and the really important children's shoe fitting service is here to stay after Clarks leave the city."
Clarks, founded in 1825 Somerset, operated across more than 1400 stores and franchises internationally at its peak. But it was reported to be operating 320 stores this summer after battling to keep a presence on the high street.
