Retail Property - Dalgleish mulls array of bids for Wax Lyrical chain

Property agent Dalgleish is now sifting a number of firm offers for the 35-strong Wax Lyrical chain after the speciality retailer was put into administration by its US parent, Blyth.

Administrator Grant Thornton set a tight deadline, requiring potential bidders to make their best offers by last Friday. A number of acquisitive retailers are believed to have worked through the January Sales period to assess the stores, from Edinburgh to Bath, in order to put together bids.

Dalgleish partner David Williams said: 'Just before Christmas, Grant Thornton partners Andrew Conquest and Sean Croston were appointed administrative receivers of Wax Lyrical, which generated substantial losses despite 2002 sales of£11 million.'

Conquest said: 'This is a highly seasonable business, with profits weighted heavily towards Christmas. However, many of the major retail chains have carried a comprehensive range of competitive products. Wax Lyrical operated in a niche that has become more mainstream.'