Card retailer Clintons has revealed one of its Kent stores has closed for good.

Reopening the Canterbury branch in Whitefiars has been deemed "cost prohibitive" by bosses at the long-running firm.

The business was saved from administration by Esquire Retail Limited in December last year and all 2,500 jobs at 334 stores were saved.

But during lockdown, a review of its portfolio saw numerous outlets across the country get the chop.

Clintons says "every effort" will be made to offer staff new roles elsewhere.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that the Gravel Walk store in Canterbury has closed as we were unable to agree commercial terms to support the long-term viability of the store.

“In this case, the terms of the lease renewal for our Canterbury store were cost prohibitive and we have been forced to take the difficult decision to close the store.

'We were unable to agree commercial terms to support the long-term viability of the store...'

“Our staff have been informed and we will make every effort to redeploy staff members wherever possible.”

Meanwhile, Card Factory online sales are booming with purchases more than tripling during lockdown.

A number of its Kent stores haven't reopened this week, but are expected to do so in the future.

Card Factory chief executive Karen Hubbard said: “Before the impact of Covid-19, we had made a satisfactory start to the year.

“In the first major season of the year, Valentine’s Day, we achieved our fourth consecutive year of record sales growth in both volume and value.

“However, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted trading and, given the uncertain economic backdrop, we are unable to provide financial guidance for 2020-21.”

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