Top News

A British chain with hundreds of stores across the country is closing a branch in Essex. Signs are up in Craghoppers' shop in the Braintree Village Freeport shopping centre, in Braintree, alerting locals to a 70%-off sale ahead of its imminent departure from the high street.

Local news reports suggest it will be serving customers for the last time five weeks from now. The outdoor clothing manufacturer and supplier doesn't appear to have confirmed an exact date for the closure. It's not yet clear what led to the closure or whether there will be redundancies as a result.

Express.co.uk has approached Craghoppers for more information.

The chain was founded by Roy Holmes and Brian Gaskin in Batley, West Riding of Yorkshire, back in 1965.

Mr Holmes and Mr Gaskin, bound by a shared enthusiasm for walks, climbs, and pot-holing, came to produce gear that world leading climbers favour.

The pair are recognised for inventing the Cagjac, recognised as one of the world's first modern waterproof jackets.

According to the company's website, they were "cherry-picked to manufacture the expedition Everest expedition in 1975 - the first successful climb by ascending the face of the mountain".

"Since then we've been committed to designing protective outdoor clothing to cope with any extreme. Craghoppers breaches worn by Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Everest."

In the years since the business was launched, the brand has expanded considerably, now boasting more than 300 stores and concessions across the UK.

The brand was acquired by the Regatta Group in 1995.