Radley, the major UK accessories brand, is set to disappear from British high streets by the end of the month, with all its retail shops closing by September. The handbag chain was bought out of administration by Gordon Brothers, the owner of Poundland, in May, but the deal did not include Radley's retail operating business.
Job losses and store closures
At the time of the acquisition, 42 roles were made redundant with immediate effect, but more are expected as all of Radley's retail shops close. The brand operates two main stores and 19 concessions, all of which will shut by the end of the month. Radley's website closed at 11:59 on August 19, according to retail-week.com. Its retail shops will remain open with limited stock, holding closing-down sales with prices cut by up to 70%.
Background of the brand
Radley was founded by Australian designer Lowell Harder in London, where it operated as a stall in Camden Market during the 1990s. The brand was owned by private equity firm Freshstream before being sold to Gordon Brothers. A spokesperson for administrators FTI Consulting said in May: 'The administration team will guide and support affected team members over the coming weeks through the redundancy claims process. The administration appointments follow a sustained period of challenging economic conditions for the retail environment, including declining customer demand and increasing operating costs, all of which have had a negative impact on trading.'
Full list of closing stores
All Radley branches, including its two flagship stores in Glasgow and London's Covent Garden as well as its 19 outlet branches, are expected to close by the end of the month. The full list includes: Covent Garden, Glasgow, Ashford (Outlet), Banbridge (Outlet), Braintree (Outlet), Bridgend (Outlet), Cannock (Outlet), Castleford (Outlet), Cheshire Oaks (Outlet), Cotswolds (Outlet), Dalton Park (Outlet), Doncaster (Outlet), Gretna (Outlet), Gunwharf Quays (Outlet), Livingston (Outlet), Mansfield (Outlet), O2 London (Outlet), Springfield (Outlet), Somerset (Outlet), Swindon (Outlet), and York (Outlet).
Broader retail context
Radley's closures will come around the same time as Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants close 200 locations across the UK on September 11. The news also comes as Morrisons announces plans to shut 100 of its Daily convenience stores this year, while the British Heart Foundation has confirmed it will close 87 stores, with plans to shut dozens more by 2028.
