Schuh has confirmed it is shutting its three German stores to focus on its UK, Irish and Channel Islands business.

The footwear retailer said its three German stores in Oberhausen, Ruhr Park and Essen would all cease trading on June 22. Schuh blamed changes to the market and the impact of Brexit for its retreat from the country.

Schuh said its German ecommerce site would continue to trade, but all orders would be fulfilled by its UK warehouses.

The footwear retailer said its focus would now be solely on its UK, Irish and Channel Islands store estate and ecommerce business. Headquartered in Scotland, Schuh currently operates 133 stores in the UK, Republic of Ireland and Channel Islands.

Managing director Colin Temple said: “Since opening, the stores have received exceptional feedback and despite the trading headwinds I am so proud of the achievement of having been able to open in another country in a foreign language with such high acclaim from customers and vendors alike.

“This is testament to the exceptional work that has been invested by our divisional manager, whose project this was, and testament to all our staff employed across Germany for whom we can only thank for their valuable input. We are sorry they will not be part of the Schuh/Genesco family moving forward.”

Schuh said that 75 employees would be affected by the closures, although a spokeswoman for the retailer said that “all affected staff would be offered the chance to be redeployed to the UK or Ireland”.