Card Factory Plans New Store at Former Claire's Site

Card Factory has applied for planning permission to install signage at the Banbury Gateway Shopping Park in Oxfordshire. The retailer intends to move into the former site of Claire's Accessories, which would mark the company's third outlet in Banbury and its eleventh location across the county.

The site became available after Claire's Accessories permanently closed in April 2026. That closure followed the brand's collapse into administration in January 2026, a period during which The Original Factory Shop also entered administration. Modella Capital subsequently purchased both Claire's Accessories and The Original Factory Shop during the restructuring process.

This expansion effort coincides with Card Factory's broader growth strategy. The retailer recently acquired Funky Pigeon, a personalized greetings card business, from WH Smith for 24 million pounds.