ANOTHER retail giant has announced it is packing up and quitting Oxford as part of what it calls a major ‘transformation plan’.

Child and parent retailer Mothercare revealed a dismal series of annual results in May before declaring that 50 loss-making stores would close.

While Oxford was at first spared the cull, company bosses have now confirmed that the store which is based at Cowley’s Oxford Retail Park will shut its doors next month.

The retailer said a 'massive' closing down sale will begin today. 

Former Oxford city councillor Ruth Wilkinson said customers were queuing along the whole length of the store.

Announcing the store's closure, a spokesperson for Mothercare said: “Mothercare Oxford will close on Sunday September 23, 2018.

“We will be emailing our customers in the local area to advise of the changes and provide details of the nearest store.

"We greatly value all our customers in the area and would like to thank them for their continued loyalty and support for Mothercare.

“Whilst we regret the closure of the store, it is part of a larger transformation plan for our business.”

The firm added that it was working with affected staff at the store and that efforts were being made to relocate an unspecified number of employees to vacancies in the surrounding area.

Customers are still able to place orders at the store and online until further notice.

Speaking of the announcement, one new parent and Mothercare customer who preferred to remain anonymous said the closure had come as no surprise to many consumers.

He said: “While the store staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about what they are selling it is difficult to compete with the competition from online retailers.

“It is much too easy now to use the internet to find similar products for a fraction of the price and not have the hassle of going to an out-of-town retailer.”

The closure of another large retailer in the city comes after Toys R Us folded and shut its doors in April.

Nationally, Mothercare had already pledged to shut 50 of its branches nationwide and had earmarked yet more stores, including Oxford, for possible saving if a deal could be struck on rent reduction.

The closures come after Mothercare cleared a restructuring plan known as a Company Voluntary Agreement, an insolvency procedure that required the approval of the retailer’s landlords.

The group has also undertaken a fundraising initiative to raise £32.5 million from its existing shareholders.