Fashion boutique becomes latest recession victim

A TOP fashion boutique has become the latest victim of the recession.

Beth’s Boutique, based on French Church Street in Cork City Centre, has gone into liquidation after 15 years of trading, it has been confirmed.

Its owner, Beth Haughton, who has made several appearances as a fashion expert on national TV, said she was “devastated” at having to close the business after such a long time selling designer clothes.

“It’s because of the downturn in the economy. I’m getting out now while I don’t owe any huge amounts of money,” Ms Haughton said.

She said she didn’t have a bad year, but could see tougher times coming down the track.

“I think every business is going to have a hard time. I wasn’t prepared to take the risk,” she said.

Ms Haughton first opened the boutique in the Douglas Shopping Centre and then relocated it to the nearby East Village.

Three years ago she moved again, this time into the heart of the city centre to a much larger unit.

“I certainly saw a drop in footfall. But I had incredibly loyal customers and I would have been happy to stay on.

I want to say a big thanks to all my customers because they kept us afloat for the past 12 months,” she said.

At its peak, Ms Haughton employed four people in the boutique, but in recent times she ran it with the aid of just one member of staff.

She will now be concentrating her efforts on running her successful Club Brasserie restaurant at Lapp’s Quay.