Weddings: Bride 'gutted' she may lose dress as shop shuts

A woman who paid £1,000 towards her wedding dress has said she has no idea if she will get it after the shop she bought it from suddenly closed down.

Hannah Powell, 29, bought her dress at Allison Jayne's bridal shop in Swansea.

The bride-to-be is getting married in France in May 2024 and said she was "gutted because it's the only dress I loved".

Allison Jayne announced on Saturday that its shops in Swansea and Cardiff would close immediately.

Ms Powell said she spent months looking for a dress before finding the perfect one at Allison Jayne's.

She was told she would get it by January 2024, but when she heard on social media the shop had closed, she went to see for herself.

"There was a piece of paper on the front door saying 'we're closed as of 4 November. There's not a single item left in the shop. I just feel really shocked and sad," she said.

"Over £1,000 has completely gone, we still have the rest to pay but I don't know if I'll get the dress and if not I'm not sure we'll get the money back."

She said she got a call on Monday from Allison Jayne but it was from a withheld number so she has no way to get back in contact.

She said she was told her dress was on its way to the supplier, but the veil companies had not yet been contacted.

"We had to pay in full for the veil, I don't know why that was, and then you have to pay 50% of the dress.

"That also includes alterations, so on the phone I asked will you not be continuing to do any of the alterations because they include that in the price of the dress.

"That was why I picked to go there as well - there weren't any extra costs on top and now I need to find my own seamstress."

Ms Powell does not have wedding insurance and is "really anxious I won't get my dress".

Allison Jayne, which has been trading for 50 years, said in the letter stuck up in its shop window that the decision to stop trading was taken with regret and came after all efforts were made to continue.

The company has been asked to comment.

Additional reporting by Megan Davies.