American retailer Claire’s has closed its Hempstead Valley store.

The accessories and jewellery retailer shut the branch at the Gillingham shopping centre because the lease expired.

It is understood the store’s last day of trading was Monday, 19 February.

It is not known how many jobs have been affected.

A spokesperson for Hempstead Valley said: “Claire’s lease has recently come to an end and the store has now permanently closed.”

The closure comes almost two years after Claire’s shut its store at the Pentagon Centre in Chatham.

Now the retailer has only one branch in Medway, located at Dockside Outlet Centre, which remains open as usual.

Claire’s did not respond to a request for comment.