Beauty brand The Body Shop has confirmed its Dubbo store has permanently closed.
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The doors at the Orana Mall premises were shut for the last time on January 3, after a number of years trading in the city.
The company would not be drawn on the reasons for the closure and declined to provide the Daily Liberal with details of job losses.
Instead in a statement responding to questions from the Daily Liberal it praised its Dubbo team members and highlighted the support given to them.
"We were disappointed to close the store given the commitment and performance of our team," The Body Shop said in a statement.
"All team members were given due notice and supported through the closure process, including offers of redeployment in other areas of the business."
All team members were given due notice and supported through the closure process, including offers of redeployment in other areas of the business.
- The Body Shop
The Body Shop also hinted it was not the end of its presence at Dubbo.
"Some employees will be continuing their connection to The Body Shop through roles with The Body Shop direct-selling channel, The Body Shop At Home," The Body Shop said in the statement.
The company, under the Natura & Co banner along with Natura, Avon and Aesop, forms the fourth largest beauty group in the world, according to its website.
It is known for its sustainable and ethical products and its campaigns including for gender equality and ending homelessness, among others.
The company is pledging to continue serving Dubbo customers.
"The Body Shop is committed to providing its high-quality, naturally-inspired products to all communities in Australia, and will continue its offering to customers in Dubbo and western NSW through The Body Shop At Home, as well as online," it said in the statement.
The Body Shop's website shows it has no stores at Bathurst, Orange or Tamworth, but a store at Wagga Wagga remains open.
On April 2 The Body Shop temporarily closed its stores nationally in response to the worsening COVID-19 outbreak - a decision taken by dozens of retailers.
It reopened at Dubbo in May, with COVID safety measures in place.
In its latest retail forecast, Deloitte Access Economics said after a significant drop in spending in the June quarter, the September quarter rebound had more than made up for it - with retail sales sitting well above pre-COVID levels.
But it warned not everyone was benefiting - with the clothing, café and department store segments all lagging - and for some of those retailers who miss out this Christmas, there is a risk it could be time to close up shop in the new year as headwinds start to weigh on spending in 2021.