Jobs to be lost in Athlone after Born Clothing enters liquidation

by Kevin O'Neill

Workers in Athlone are set to be among 116 people nationwide to lose their jobs after it was announced that the Irish retail chain Born Clothing - which has a store at Golden Island Shopping Centre in the town – has entered liquidation and will soon close.

The company announced the news in a social media post yesterday (Wednesday) and has commenced a closing down sale.

Born Clothing opened its first store in Galway in 2009 and has currently operates in Westmeath, Galway, Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Laois, Tipperary, Leitrim, Mayo and Kerry.

The company's statement about its closure said that "after 16 wonderful years in business" it was "time to say goodbye".

“We want to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your support over the years – for shopping with us, supporting us, and being part of our journey," the statement read.

“To our wonderful team thank you for being the heart and soul of our business. Your loyalty and dedication will always be appreciated."

Among the brands stocked at Born Clothing are Vero Moda, Only, Vila and their own Emily & Me label.

On Tuesday, the High Court appointed provisional liquidators to the group, after hearing that business difficulties arose for reasons which included the pandemic, the increase in the minimum wage, and high business costs.