A SCHOOL uniform supplier that will be closing this spring has blamed the “substantial loss” it was facing on a recent Education policy change – and warned that any new UK entrants to the market will force prices up by 20%.
The new policy – which was announced by Education Minister Inna Gardiner in December – limits the number of “bespoke” school uniform items to five, following a survey last term which found that 55% of parents were either “very dissatisfied” or “dissatisfied” with the cost of uniforms.
But Jersey Schools & Sports Kits, based at Les Quennevais Parade in St Brelade, raised concerns about the sample size of survey respondents, calling it a “minority view”.
The shop provides uniforms for 30 schools including Beaulieu, Bel Royal, d’Auvergne, De La Salle, First Tower, Grouville, Hautlieu, Janvrin, JCG, St John and Mont à l’Abbé and Victoria College.
The business said they met the Education Department four times last year, including a meeting with Education Minister Inna Gardiner in September.
In a note on their website announcing their closure, JSSK owner Paula Shield wrote: “The new policy limits and reduces what we are allowed to sell, and we have to absorb all losses incurred when items become obsolete.
“Our business, as a result, has been devalued and we face a substantial loss in revenue when costs of operating a business and purchasing stock are spiralling.
“Further, we are unable to diversify the business, as our capital is tied up in the stock that will now be discontinued, accordingly, our ability to sell our business as a going concern in the future has been obliterated.”
Chris Shield, who co-owns the shop, said they had spent the past five months speaking to CYPES but the department “didn’t understand” how the shop operated.
He added that JSSK’s ethos had been to keep prices low, even if this meant operating at tight margins, adding that JSSK’s prices were around 20% lower than those found in the UK for equivalent quality.
He said that in meetings with UK-based companies, they said they would increase prices by 20% immediately.
“We were parents when we set up the business. We decided to keep the margins low deliberately.
“Anyone coming in to the industry will probably kick the prices up 20%. That would be comparable with the marketplace in the UK.
“We looked at selling our business to a UK provider and that’s what they told us: ‘We would have to put the price of all your products up on day one’.”
Mr Shield added that quality school clothes would last longer and could be passed down to siblings or sold back to a school shop. He also said that he didn’t know what was next for schools that have JSSK as their only supplier.
Closing the business had been particularly tough on his wife Paula, he said, who has run the shop on a day-to-day basis for 14 years. He added: “We just want to thank everyone for all of their unwavering support and commitment to us over the years.
“We had children who came in 14 years ago who then came back with their own children this year or last year.
“You see the growth. It’s been amazing to be part of that journey with them.”
Mrs Shield added: “We have put 14 years of blood, sweat and tears into JSSK and to have to defend our business from being made into the scapegoat for the minister’s inability to deliver on her promises, has caused no end of personal anguish, stress and heartache.”
JSSK’s owners had considered selling the business to competitors Stevenson’s or Monkhouse, according to a timeline posted on their website. However, Stevenson’s were not interested and Mrs Shield cited contract issues between Monkhouse and CYPES.
A Government spokesperson said: “We are aware of JSSK notifying its customers of closure.
“Affected schools will seek alternative supplier(s) and will be in direct contact with parents.
“Changes to the Government’s policy concerning school uniforms will only come into effect in more than two and a half years’ time.”
JSSK have said they will close on Saturday 4 May and a closing-down sale started on Sunday. They are offering the option to order and pre-pay for next year’s uniforms and pick them up from schools in June.
