Beauty retailer Bodycare will permanently close all 56 of its remaining stores by Saturday, marking the complete collapse of the 50-year-old high street chain. The company entered administration on September 5, with administrators declaring it "no longer viable to continue" due to lack of stock and high costs.
Around 1,200 people have lost their jobs since the administration began. The closures represent a dramatic fall for a company that boasted nearly 150 stores just weeks ago.
From market stall to collapse
Bodycare was founded in Lancashire in 1970 by Graham and Margaret Blackledge, starting as a market stall before growing into a major high street presence. Liverpool Echo reports that failed stock market listing attempts and delayed online platform transitions contributed to the financial difficulties.
Nick Holloway, managing director at administrator Interpath, said they would "continue to explore options for the company's assets, including the Bodycare brand, and will provide further updates in due course". The company's website now displays a 'closed' sign with administration notices.
Wider retail crisis
According to the Centre for Retail Research, 13,479 stores permanently closed last year - about 37 each day - with a further 132,945 local high street shops expected to disappear over the next 15 years. Poundland, Hobbycraft and River Island have been among the hardest hit retailers this year.
Professor Adrian Palmer from Henley Business School said discount stores like Bodycare struggle with squeezed margins from higher costs, including recent minimum wage and National Insurance increases. He noted that Bodycare "was strongly orientated towards traditional High Streets rather than out-of-town retail parks" and lacked sufficient margin for competitive online offerings.
Complete store closure list
The 56 stores closing this week span across England, Scotland and Wales, including locations in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, and dozens of smaller towns and cities. Major shopping destinations like Braehead in Scotland, Merry Hill in the West Midlands, and the Metrocentre in Gateshead are among those affected.
Consumer expert Vix Leyton said that while the high street faces challenges, survival depends on offering experiences beyond simple transactions. She said: "The high street isn't dead yet, but nostalgia won't keep the lights on."
Sources used: "Metro", "The Northern Echo", "Liverpool Echo", "Edinburgh Live" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
