A POPULAR Greenock shoe shop will remain closed after the lockdown after bosses pulled the plug to 'restructure the business'.

Clarks in the Oak Mall will keep the shutters down when Scottish Government guidelines allow for non-essential retailers to reopen.

Six staff members in the Greenock store have been made redundant as a result of the decision.

The local outlet has suffered as a result of the footwear retailer's decision not to reopen some of its 347 shops across the UK.

Clarks in Greenock was last open on Christmas Eve - and closure fears grew steadily after an official consultation period on the future of branches was launched at the beginning of the year.

A spokesperson for the company told the Tele they will now focus on offering support to the staff left jobless.

They said: "After careful consideration, we can confirm that our store in the Greenock will be closing.

"We have a strong duty of care to our employees and will ensure they are fully supported as they go through a period of consultation."

The Telegraph contacted the retail giant back in January and was told then that a review was ongoing to ensure the store was the 'right size and located in the right area' to 'provide the best possible offering and environment to customers'.

At the time bosses would not comment on rumours around its future.

The popular Oak Mall store has been trading for decades.

It's understood employees at Greenock were invited to apply for positions in branches elsewhere but were told they would be competing with staff members from other threatened stores across the country.

Clarks has been cleared of stock and fixtures are beginning to be removed with mall shoppers tell us it was the 'end of an era'.

One man, who said he'd been a loyal customer, said: "It's a real shame and yet another loss to the town centre.

"It's been here as long as I can remember, and I regularly shopped there.

"I'm sad to see it go."

Another regular shopper, who didn't want to be named, told the Tele: "You wonder if there will be anything decent left in the town at this rate.

"It wasn't a new school year without getting my kids a pair of Clarks shoes.

"Another good shop has gone and we need to do something to arrest the decline in shopping in the heart of Greenock."