Bodycare to close 32 stores after appointing administrators

No comments

Beauty chain Bodycare is closing several UK stores and has appointed administrators as it battles with a “significant funding gap and increasing creditor pressure”.

Bodycare store exterior in shopping centre

Administrators at Interpath intend to continue trading from Bodycare’s remaining stores

The chain will close 32 of its stores with immediate effect and 450 employees have been made redundant.

Bodycare was founded in Lancashire in 1970 and traded from 147 UK stores with around 1,500 staff.

It has contended with challenges such as rising costs, including for rent and people, a delayed transition to the online retail platform, and the cost-of-living crisis affecting customers.

In 2024, a planned IPO was abandoned, leading to a shortfall in funding. This strained relationships with suppliers and resulted in Bodycare receiving a shortage of stock.

Administrators at Interpath have been appointed and intend to continue to trade 115 of Bodycare’s stores while they review options. The possibility of selling the business and its assets could be explored.

Interpath managing director and joint administrator Nick Holloway 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.

“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 32 stores closing are: