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22
Sept
Administrators confirm closure of Harrogate Bodycare
The Bodycare store in Harrogate looks set to close its doors for the last time by this Saturday (September 27), the administrators confirmed today (Monday, September 22).
Bodycare went into administration earlier this month, and it was immediately announced that 32 shops of its 148 shops would close, and 450 of its 1,500 employees made redundant.
A list of the stores was scheduled for closure, but the Cambridge Street branch was not among them. It was hoped the store would be saved in a last-minute rescue deal.
On September 3, the day the Stray Ferret first reported that the company was in trouble, the Harrogate branch was still advertising store manager vacancies.
But an update published today announced:
[...] the joint administrators have continued to liaise with a number of parties who have expressed interest in the business, including interest in the Bodycare brand. While these discussions remain ongoing, it is with regret that the administrators confirm that a sale of the stores is now unlikely.
Given the shortage of stock and significant costs associated with operating stores, it is no longer viable to continue to trade the business. As such, the joint administrators have made the difficult decision to commence a closure programme for the remaining 56 stores.
It is expected that all stores will close by Saturday 27 September.
All 444 members of staff at these locations will be made redundant.
Nick Holloway, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said:
We understand this has been a difficult period and so we want to further express our sincere thanks to Bodycare’s staff who, since day one of the administration, have maintained the strong standards of presentation and customer service that Bodycare was renowned for.
He added that the administrators would continue to explore options for the company’s assets, including the Bodycare brand, and would provide further updates in due course.
Bodycare was founded by Graham and Margaret Blackledge in Skelmersdale in 1970, but it is now owned by Baaj Capital, a family office run by Bradford entrepreneur Jas Singh.
The shop's closure comes as a blow to Harrogate town centre, which in recent years has seen the departure of a string of national chains, including Topman, Miss Selfridge, Cath Kidston, Gap, Monsoon, Debenhams, H&M, Paperchase, New Look and Claire’s Accessories.
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