Bodycare set to shut 32 of its stores

Troubled health and beauty chain Bodycare has closed 32 stores – including three in Lancashire - and made 450 staff redundant after going into administration.

The high street retailer specialises in offering skincare, cosmetics, toiletries, and fragrances and had more than 1,500 employees. The Lancashire stores that have shut are in Darwen, Lytham St Annes and Morecambe.

According to reports, around 85 staff have also been made redundant at the company’s national distribution centre at Buckshaw Village.

Bodycare was created in 1970 by Graham and Margaret Blackledge from a market stall in Skelmersdale. It has been owned by Baaj Capital since 2021 and is run by retail veteran Tony Brown, formerly of BHS and Beales.

 Joint administrators from Interpath have been appointed and 115 of the group’s stores will continue to trade. Branches in Preston, Blackpool, Lancaster, Chorley, Clitheroe, Burnley, Poulton-le-Fylde, Blackburn and Ormskirk were not on the closure list released.

 The stores will remain open while the administrators explore “options” - including looking for a buyer.

 In a statement, the administrators said the company has “faced a number of challenges in recent years which have negatively impacted its financial position.”

 It added: "This included rising costs, including rent and people costs, a delayed transition to its online retail platform, and the cost-of-living crisis impacting its customer base.

 "In addition, a planned IPO in 2024 was aborted which led to a shortfall in funding. This, in turn, placed strain on supplier relationships, resulting in a shortage of stock.”

 Joint administrator, Nick Holloway, managing director at Interpath, said: “These remain challenging times for high street retailers as rising costs and reduced consumer spending continue to weigh heavily on trading.

"Unfortunately for Bodycare, which was also contending with a significant funding gap and increasing creditor pressure, these challenges proved too difficult to overcome.”

 He continued: “Our intention is to trade the majority of the company’s stores in order to realise stock while we explore options for a possible sale of the business and its assets.

 "In addition, and as a matter of priority, we will be providing all support to those employees impacted by redundancy, including supporting them in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.”

 The retailer secured a £7m debt facility to buy it short-term breathing space but despite that move has fallen into administration.