What Does Going Into Administration Mean?

Remainder of The Body Shop Stores Saved From Closure Amid Administration Rescue Deal

Update as per September 2024100+ Body Shop stores have been rescued from closure following an administration rescue deal by a consortium led by Mike Jatania.Mr Jatania is known a 'Cosmetics King'. The deal came from Aurea, his investment firm.Reports share that this new deal will ''steer the Body Shop's revival and reclaim its global leadership in the ethical beauty sector it pioneered''.Sky News report more.End of February 2024According to reports the Body Shop may be using a CVA to exit from administration in order to continue trading.  The administrators have drawn up plans to discuss rent cuts with landlords.  Read our page on administration followed by CVA 20th February 2024The Body Shop has announced that it will close approximately half of its stores, starting with 7 that will close immediately today; Surrey Quays (London), Oxford Street (London), Canary Wharf (London), Cheapside (London), Nuneaton (Warwickshire), Ashford Town Centre (Kent), Bristol Queens Road (Bristol).Along with the store closures, is the cutting of 40% of roles at its London headquarters - leaving around 400 full-time employees.The Body Shop ambassador programme is also going to close. This is the scheme were individuals sell products for a commission.Administrators say the brand's current portfolio is ''no longer viable'' after ''years of unprofitability''. The restructuring will include a renewed focus on the companies' products, online sales channels and wholesale. 13 February 2024Following the reports this weekend, administrators from FRP Advisory have officially been appointed to ''accelerate the restructuring'' of the UK arm of The Body Shop.Administrators will explore all options going forward for the business.Joint administrators, Tony Wright, Geoff Rowley, and Alastair Massey, will continue to trade the business in administration. 12 February 2024It has been reported this weekend that cosmetics retail chain, The Body Shop, is preparing to appoint administrators from FRP Advisory to its UK arm. This comes just six weeks after the chains new owner, Aurelius, took control.It is understood that the retailer experienced weak trading over the festive period and early January, coupled with having insufficient working capital.In the UK, Body Shop has 200 stores to the along with its headquarters in London -It seems unlikely that the British cosmetics, skin-care and perfume company, set up by the late Anita Roddick, will disappear from our high streets completely.  What is likely, is that there will be a focus on reducing its costs and building up a stronger online presence.  The brand still has appeal for its ethical stance and is popular with younger shoppers. Though the process of administration is being explored for the UK operations, the brands global franchise partners are not affected.In fact, very recently, parts of The Body Shop's businesses across Europe and Asia  have been sold to an unnamed family office - according to Retail Week.Will we see The Body Shop appoint administrators? Will there be a change in owners for the fourth time?It is interesting to see that the company has not opted for a Company Voluntary Arrangement.  This may be due to the fact that its problems do not stem from a number of poorly performing stores (which can be exited in a CVA) but to more widespread difficulties.  It is also likely that the owners have security over the assets of the brand.  If they have security then they can appoint administrators and are first in line for any payouts.This news piece will be kept up to date in accordance to current events. You can find out more on this story from BBC News. 

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Remainder of The Body Shop Stores Saved From Closure Amid Administration Rescue Deal

CTD Tiles Has Gone Into Administration – Some Stores Saved By Topps

CTD Tiles goes into administration and closes 56 of its outlets.The company's administrators stated that 268 employees were laid off as a result of the failure.Despite the huge number of retail closures, rival Topps Group purchased 30 CTD Tiles locations and two distribution sites in a rescue plan.Topps Tiles has purchased CTD Tiles' brand and intellectual property for £9 million from administration.The tile expert has purchased the supplier's brands, which include CTD Tiles, CTD Trade, and CTD Architectural Tiles, as well as 30 retail outlets, chosen inventory, and all related intellectual property.Topps stated that the retailer is "complementary" to its other businesses and that the acquired stores and assets provide it with "the opportunity to make a meaningful entry into the housebuilder segment and expand its existing share of the architect and designer segment".Topps bought 30 branches that generated £20 million in sales for the fiscal year ending June 2024 and will continue to trade under the CTD brand name. Why didn't Topps Tiles buy the company in a Pre Pack Administration? A pre pack administration sale is possible in these circumstances but the downside is that Topps would have had to take on all the employees via a TUPE process.  By waiting until the administration was started they were able to pick up the assets they wanted.  CTD might have been able to use a CVA to reduce stores but without knowing the make up of the creditors it is difficult to say.  If the business was simply not viable or had significant secured lenders then an administration would have been the correct procedure.If you have purchased goods from CTD then see this page on your rights Below is a full list of the stores which have been immediately shut and those which have been saved: 56 store closures: Aintree, Liverpool Ashford, Kent Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Basildon, Essex Blackpool, Lancashire Bolton, Lancashire Brierley Hill, West Midlands Cambridge Central, Cambridgeshire Canterbury, Kent Carlisle, Cumbria Chelmsford, Essex Chester, Cheshire Colchester, Essex Coventry, Warwickshire Cricklewood, Greater London Croydon, Greater London Denton, Greater Manchester Derby Ascot Drive, Derbyshire Dundee, Scotland Eastbourne, East Sussex Exeter, Devon Falkirk, Scotland Gateshead, Tyne and Wear Glasgow Helen Street, Scotland Hanwell, Greater London Harlow, Essex Huddersfield, West Yorkshire Ipswich, Suffolk Kilmarnock, Scotland King’s Lynn, Norfolk Leeds, West Yorkshire Lincoln, Lincolnshire Livingston, Scotland Maidstone, Kent Newcastle North Shields, Tyne and Wear Newcastle West Kingston Park, Tyne and Wear Northampton, Northamptonshire Peterlee, Scotland Plymouth, Devon Portsmouth, Hampshire Preston, Lancashire Rochdale, Lancashire Rotherham, South Yorkshire Slough, Berkshire Southampton, Hampshire St Albans, Hertfordshire Stirling, Scotland Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire Sunderland, Tyne and Wear Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands Swindon, Wiltshire Tonbridge, Kent Uxbridge, Greater London Wembley Stadium, Greater London Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset Whetstone, Leicestershire  30 stores rescued by Topps: Aberdeen, Scotland Basingstoke, Hampshire Birkenhead, Merseyside Cambridge Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire Chichester, West Sussex Coatbridge, Scotland Coulsdon, Greater London Crawley, West Sussex Darlington, County Durham Dorking, Surrey Edinburgh Seafield, Scotland Edinburgh Stenhouse, Scotland Fakenham, Norfolk Farnham, Surrey Glasgow London Road, Scotland Hampton, Greater London Hull, East Yorkshire Inverness, Scotland Newbury, Berkshire Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire Norwich, Norfolk Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Perth, Scotland Peterborough, Cambridgeshire Poole, Dorset Stockton, County Durham Warrington, Cheshire Watford, Hertfordshire Wimbledon, Greater London Woking, Surrey

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CTD Tiles Has Gone Into Administration – Some Stores Saved By Topps

Cafe Rouge Owner Goes into Administration

Cafe Rouge Owner Goes into Administration12 July 2020It has been reported that Epiris, the buyout firm, is having detailed talks with administrators about buying Casual Dining Group.A deal is yet to be finalised, but is expected in the coming days.Elliott Advisors have also shared interest in purchasing the group.3 July 2020Bella Italia and Café Rouge owner, Casual Dining Group, has gone into administration. This has meant 91 outlets to close immediately and 1,900 of the 6,000 staff to lose their jobs.The 91 restaurants are located mainly in England, with a few in Scotland and Wales. The remaining 159 of the groups 250 outlets will remain open.Administrators, Alix Partners, are looking for any interested parties to make offers for all, or part of the business.It is reported that already multiple offers have been received of which the business hopes to pursue in efforts to rescue itself.Chief executive, James Spragg said: ‘’We are acutely aware of our duty to all employees and recognise that this is an incredibly difficult time for them.’’He stresses he will do all he can, working alongside and supporting the administrators, aiming to preserve as much employment as possible.The ‘’extreme operating environment’’ for the casual dining sector, among others, due to coronavirus forcing restaurants to shut since the start of March, is blamed. The full list of Casual Dining Group closures Bella ItaliaNewburyEast KilbrideBaker StreetCambridgeCheltenham PromSoton Above BarBlackpool ChurchWatfordPlymouthDunfermlineIslingtonGloucester QuaysHatfieldSouthendDidsburySolihullBrighton BelottaWindsorManchester DeansgateCamberley AtriumAberdeenLoughboroughCreweColliers WoodBrighton MarinaCardiffShaftesbury AveHemel HempsteadLeedsSilverlinkBexleyNew BrightonOrpingtonManchester Piccadilly Café Rouge Bury St EdmondsNewburyMaidstone Earl StSolihullPinnerBlackheathHarborne BirminghLeamington SpaYorkDulwichEpsomBirmingham MailboxWokingHitchinOxfordLeicesterChesterCheltenhamLoughtonChelmsfordCambridgeEdinburghSouthgateEsherBromleySalisburyCanterbury LongTrafford CentreExeter PrincesshayHertfordMilton KeynesLas IguanasHarrogateBrighton MarinaDerbySheffieldWokingChesterBrunswick SquareBraintreeBournemouthNorwichNewcastleBelgoBelgo KingswayBelgo NottinghamBelgo CentraalAirport sitesCafé Rouge Rapide Inverness AirportBristol AirportThe George Ale & Coffee House (T5)The Darwin Ale & Coffee House (T3)Jersey AirportOriel LutonOriel Heathrow T4La Salle Heathrow T2Bella Italia LutonOriel Heathrow T3Huxleus Heathrow T5The Shipyard Jersey

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Cafe Rouge Owner Goes into Administration

Torquay’s Famous Grosvenor Hotel Goes Into Administration

The costly refurbishment of the hotel – and its relaunch – has contributed to the hotel’s insolvent state and that of the wider Richardson Hotel Group. Here, we’ll explore what happened to the Grosvenor and what might lie in store for the future of this group.What is the Grosvenor Hotel? The Grosvenor Hotel is a three-star hotel in Torquay. It’s one of the main hotels on Belgrave Road or ‘golden mile’ and has 46 bedrooms. It is part of the Richardson Hotel Group’s portfolio along with five other hotels across Devon and Cornwall. Keith Richardson is the sole owner of the hotel. He bought it from the comedian and entertainer Mark Jenkins in 2012. It cost less than £1m but is still trying to shake the bad reputation it gained during Jenkins’ ownership. Jenkins and the Grosvenor Hotel found fame in Channel 4’s ‘The Hotel’ - a reality show that “followed the exploits of hapless hotelier-turned-events manager Mark Jenkins”. It ran from 2012–2015 and did not seem to benefit the hotel’s reputation. It's now called the John Burton-Race Restaurant with Rooms. The name comes from the hotel's Michelin-starred chef who controls the restaurant. He is not the owner, but he may boost the hotel's reputation. Estimates claim the refurbishment cost over £750,000 and includes:Structural changes Refurbishment of the restaurant Re-designed reception An increase to 50 rooms Plans for a champagne barWhy has it gone into administration? The Richardson Hotel Group went into administration in early January 2018. The five other hotels in the group fell into administration at a similar time. The Grosvenor Hotel is the sixth and final hotel in the group to fall into administration. The administrators for all six hotels are Mark Boughey and Matthew Wild of RSM Restructuring Advisory. All the hotels in the group are still trading. Administrators are discussing sales strategies with Colliers International and may end up selling one or more of the other hotels to finance the continuation of the Grosvenor. Too much money went into the refurbishment, rebrand and relaunch of the hotel. This is why the Grosvenor Hotel and the rest of its group fell into administration. HMRC petitioned the Grosvenor Hotel to wind up the business. But the move to administration has halted these proceedings. However, it’s “business as usual” according to Burton-Race. “This is just a glitch, which will be sorted, I’m not worried. The company has plenty of assets and once one of them is sold, things will go back to normal.” Hopefully, the move into administration will help the Grosvenor Hotel restructure and become viable once more. If not, its liquidation could affect all the Richardson hotels in the area.

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Torquay’s Famous Grosvenor Hotel Goes Into Administration

SMS Alderley Goes Into Administration

Specialised Management Services (SMS)-Alderley in Gorleston went into administration last week, and employees were informed that they had lost their jobs. Established in 1999, the company manufactured equipment and supplied maintenance and installation services to the oil and gas industry, focussing in hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical control systems.SMS is based at Starling House, off Lancelot Road, and has offices in Aberdeen and Bristol.SMS was bought by its parent business, Alderley PLC, a multidisciplinary engineering organisation, in 2003.Both Alderley Plc and Alderley Systems have gone into administration.Alderley was established in 1989 and has locations in the United Kingdom, India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.Joint administrators were summoned on Wednesday, July 24.Joint administrators were called in last week.A letter sent from the joint administrators to SMS-Alderley staff read: "I regret to have to inform you that the company is no longer in a position to make payments to you for services rendered by you."As a result you should regard your contract of employment with the company as terminated with immediate effect."You should complete Redundancy Payments Service form RP1 online at www.gov.uk/claim-redundancy. This enables you to claim up to certain limits under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996 for arrears of pat, holiday pay, notice and redundancy pay."The letter continued: "Your claim for pay in lieu of notice is effectively a claim for breach of contract as circumstances prevented you from working your notice period with the company.  

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SMS Alderley Goes Into Administration
laybuy logo

Laybuy Goes Into Administration

Laybuy, the pay now pay later firm, has collapsed into administration just days after suspending its service.  The company allowed customers to buy products online and spread the costs over 2-3 months.The company has 500,000 users operates across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK with 300,000 in the UK.The company has gone bust in New Zealand after failing to find a buyer.Sam Ballinger, joint administrator at FTI Consulting, said: "The joint administrators are currently assessing the options available to the companies and supporting the employees, merchants and other affected stakeholders through this difficult period."Laybuy is not currently accepting new transactions, however, customers should continue to make payments as normal."FTI said that further updates including those affecting customers will be shared in the coming days at www.fticonsulting.com/uk/creditors-portal/laybuy-uk.It is indeed a good idea that any customers who have bought goods using Laybuy must continue to make payments.  The administrators will pursue any customers who do not pay and non payments will affect your credit score.The company has 29 employees in the UK.It is possible that the company may be sold out of administration.  Klarna are the main operator in this market space and could be interested if Laybuy had any particular areas where they dominated.  However with 300,000 users in the UK it might be worth waiting until all those payments have been made and they simply have the technology left over.

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Laybuy Goes Into Administration

Mercian Cycles To Go Into Liquidation

Derby based Cycle builder Mercian Cycles has gone into liquidation.  The firm specialised in making high quality steel frames with hand made decorative joinery ("lugs" in bike parlance).The company confirmed thr news to the publication road.cc saying: "Mercian Cycles Ltd has ceased to trade, and we have instructed an Insolvency Practitioner to assist us with taking the appropriate steps to place the Company into Creditors' Voluntary Liquidation."Opus Business Advisory Group have been appointed liquidators and said "we will be working closely with the company to help manage a controlled wind down of the business and a smooth transition for stakeholders".The bike company was founded in 1946 and was seen as quite eccentric with its lugs and flamboyant colours.  The firm had quite a cult following in the UK and the USA.However the cycling industry has had a hard time of late due to over capacity following the pandemic when everyone suddenly started to spend money on Bicycles.  Unfortunately, this new found enthusiasm did not last.

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Mercian Cycles To Go Into Liquidation
cazoo logo

Cazoo In Administration Move

Update 28th June 2024 The Cazoo brand has been bought by Motors, the online market place.  However they have not bought the whole business.   Update 21st May 2024 Cazoo is expected to go into administration today with Teneo being the appointed advisors.  The notice of intention to appoint moratorium expires tomorrow and there appears to not have been a rescue or sale.   Cazoo, the online second car dealer, has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.  The company was at one point worth £6bn and employed 5000 people.  Cazoo was floated on the US stock market and made its founder, Alex Chesterman, (on paper at least) one of the richest men in the UK. The company boomed as it offered a platform for people to buy cars online and have them delivered to their home.  The pandemic helped their growth and the company spent millions on advertising and sponsorship deals. The company admitted last week that it was burning through £10m of cash a month and that it needed an urgent capital injection to survive. Other factors contributing to its problems has been the rapid fall in second hand car values and the slower uptake of electric cars. The company is not in administration right now but has filed an intention to appoint administrators.  This means that the company has 10 days protection from its creditors, who may be threatening winding up petitions, whilst it tries to raise addition funds or sell the business. Once that time period is up they may be able to extend for another 10 days, subject to approval by the court, but there has to be a very strong reason to do so. Check the links on the right hand side for other questions regarding companies going into administration

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Cazoo In Administration Move

Notts County Administration Threat

Article Originally published in February 2019 The worlds oldest football league club, Notts County, risk going into administration, according to an exclusive Sky Sports News report. The club are five points from safety of the league, with a financial crisis giving their future many red cards. Chairman, Alan Hardy brought the club in January 2017, and put it up for sale just last month. To purchase the club, it has been revealed that Hardy used a loan from his interior design company, Paragon. The recent accounts posted on Companies House in June 2017, refer to a ‘related party debt’, of £7m, for Paragon Interiors Group – the value of the funds used to buy the club. Paragons business situation stresses administration, with the company already stopping work on numerous projects, advising customers they will hope to catch up in March. If the business call in administrators, the debt from Notts County is likely to be demanded, leaving huge doubt for the football clubs finances and future. Supporters to the club have watched them loose their league two play-off semi final to Coventry in May…thinking that was bad, they now watch them face relegation for the first time of the 157-years of existence. Will the final whistle be blown? Is this the end?

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Notts County Administration Threat
ted baker

All UK Stores to Close and 1000 Jobs Lost for Ted Baker

29th July 2024Ted Baker has now announced that it is to close all its UK stores.8th April 2024Administrators announce that Ted Baker is to close 15 UK stores (of which ''have no prospect of being returned to profitability, even with material rent reductions") and cut 245 jobs.Of this, 11 stores will close by 19 April, resulting in the loss of 120 jobs.Then 25 roles from head office will go along with a further 4 stores, impacting the remaining 100 jobs.For the full list of closing stores:Birmingham Bullring Bristol Bromley Cambridge Exeter Leeds Liverpool One London Bridge Milton Keynes Nottingham Oxford Bicester London Brompton Road London Floral Street Manchester Trafford 22nd March 2024Teneo has been appointed as administrator of No Ordinary Designer Label (NODL) Limited - the company of which runs 46 Ted Baker stores in the UK along with a website and concessions.NODL has approx. 975 employees.Authentic Brands, which licenses the Ted Baker brand to the NODL, is in advanced discussions with potential buyers for the company.Reported reasons for the appointment of administrators are the struggles the firm faced following damage done during a partnership and a high level of arrears built up during a partnership with AARC Group. At the end of January 2024 AARC and NODL cut ties. 19th March 2024 It has been reported that Ted Baker, the clothing retailer, has filed a Notice of Intention to Appoint Administrators. This move is designed to give it a chance of recovery by protecting it from creditors legal actions for a 10 day period.  An injection of capital or a sale is hoped to be achieved during this period.A filed winding up petition (subsequently withdrawn) forced Ted Baker's hand.This latest move comes after the company delisted from the Stock Exchange and was sold to US-based Authentic Brands Group (ABG) for a knockdown price of £210m.  This follows a similar pattern to The Body Shop that was also bought out by private equity and then months later went into administration. Why don't these companies consider using a CVA to lower their debt? The likely reason is that these companies have been loaded with lots of secure debt which cannot be compromised by a CVA.  Property costs, HMRC, and suppliers are unsecured and can be bound by the terms of a CVA.  So, in essence, it wasn't expensive shop premises that have caused problems but indebtness.Ted Baker has suffered, like many other retailers, by the lockdowns, cost of living crisis and has borrowed money to try and survive.John McNamara, chief strategy officer for Authentic Brands Group, said: “We wish that there could have been a better outcome for the Ted Baker employees and stakeholders. We remain focused on securing a new partner to uphold and grow the Ted Baker brand in the UK and Europe where it began.”The company employs more than 900 staff and currently operates 46 stores across the country, as well as online and through department store concessions.There has not been an announcement on any redundancies yet.

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All UK Stores to Close and 1000 Jobs Lost for Ted Baker

Matchesfashion to dwindle into administration

Matchesfashion, the luxury online clothes retailer is to be put into administration by Mike Ashley's Frasers Group.Sky News reports that a number of brands terminated their relationship with the site and the company faced heavy losses, thus the filing of a notice of intention to appoint administrators.Other sources have reported that some of the brands have not been paid for months and that some suppliers were asked for discounts.Along with this, there has been a sharp slowdown noticed across the global luxury goods sector, as the UKs current economic state has left many consumers with less disposable income to put towards such goods.Frasers Group took on the clothing platform not even 3 months ago. It is not clear if control would remain with Frasers in the event of a pre-pack insolvency.Nick Beighton has led the company since 2022. With his leadership the platform saw a steep increase in performance, said to be due to his renewed focus on operational efficiency and effective marketing. It is also unclear if Mr Beighton would continue in his role post-administration.Matchesfashion features more than 500 established and 'new generation' designers, delivering to over 170 countries.Matchesfashion is the second high-profile retailer to be put into administration shortly after being taken over in recent weeks. Earlier this year Aurelius placed the UK chain of The Body Shop into administration.  Why does this happen?  Could it be hubris or do these buyers see more value in the brand name rather than the actual business in the long term.  The brand name is usually retained and sold back to the original owners if the business as a whole is not sold to a third party.Will the clothing platform be brought back to life?

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Matchesfashion to dwindle into administration
construction site

Readie Construction Goes Into Administration

Readie Construction which had a turnover of £421m has gone into administration with Begbies Traynor.The administrators put out the following statement “Unfortunately, the Company will cease to trade immediately and the Joint Administrators will begin to wind down its operations with immediate effect. Creditors of the Company are asked to contact Begbies Traynor on readie@btguk.com to register a claim.  “Having just been appointed, we are assessing the situation and further updates will be made as and when it is appropriate.” We believe Readie is too risky to continue trading in administration and therefore the newly appointed administrators have closed the business down.It is highly likely that all employees will leave the business immediately. Also we should add that at least £40m of suppliers and subcontractors bills will go unpaid, hammering many smaller companies in the South East.If you are impacted by this and need a plan to recover, speak to the rescue experts at KSA Group.  Call on the number on the site or email us help@ksagroup.co.uk

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Readie Construction Goes Into Administration