News in the Retail sector

Divalimit, the parent company of homeware retailer FADS, Texstyle World and Leveys, has been placed into administration. [more]

Children's clothing retailer Adams has been placed into administration for the third time in as many years, leaving over 2,000 jobs hanging in the bal [more]

The discount fashion chain Happit has been placed in administration following a downturn in sales. Fourteen stores throughout Scotland have been closed, with a loss of around 60 jobs. [more]

Permira and Apax are holding discussions over a potential private sale of high street retailer New Look and may discard plans for a £1.8bn stock market flotation in early [more]

Grant Thornton has been hired to assess strategic options for Hobbycraft, the retailer that specialises in arts and crafts. One likely scenario is a £70m trade [more]

After recent failed attempts to sell its stores, Borders (UK) Limited has gone into administration. Philip Duffy, Geoff Bouchier and David Whitehouse of insolvency and restructuring firm MCR were appointed after its advisors BDO Stoy Hayward pulled out due to a conflict of interest. About 1,100 jobs have been put at risk at the 45-store bookseller, nine of [more]

Borders is looking to sell off up to 36 of its 45 UK bookshops to prevent itself from collapsing. While its sister business Books etc, is having final sales at its eight stores and may close down in early 2010. [more]

The owner of Card Factory has appointed KPMG to assess the options for the business to include a possible sale, or management buyout with private equity backing. [more]

The Leeds bakery chain Ainsleys has gone into administration. Grant Thornton has been appointed administrator for the chain which has 29 shops across West Yorkshire and employs 330 people. A search has begun for potential acquirers of the Leeds-based family business, which was founded more than 70 years ago. [more]

First Quench, the owner of the Threshers and Wine Rack off-licence chains, faces entering administration, and rendering thousands of employees redundant. [more]

Simple, the third largest skincare brand in the UK, has been put up for sale by its private equity owner Duke Street Capital after receiving several unsolicited approaches over the past year. [more]

Upmarket home furnishings retailer Habitat faces being placed on the market as its parent company ICAF Antillen has began a strategic review amidst falling sales. [more]

Private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital has received several bids for its pet product retail chain Pets at Home, whilst considering options for the business including a stock market listing. [more]

High and Mighty, the family-owned retailer that specialises in clothing for the taller and larger man, is close to entering a pre-pack administration. [more]

Scottish pet shop business Acorn Pet Chain has been placed into administration with the immediate loss of 73 out of 243 jobs. [more]

Europe's largest second-hand car auction business, British Car Auctions (BCA) is believed to have been placed on the market by its owner, Montagu Private Equity, with a price tag of &p [more]

London department store Liberty could soon have a new owner, as the company's majority shareholder is currently appointing advisers to undertake a strategic re [more]

Allied Carpets has entered administration, with the immediate sale of its insurance inspection subsidiary and 51 of its outlets to new company Allied Carpets Retail Limited. The move has saved about 400 jobs, but a further 1,100 are at risk and the rest of the stores are now in the control of the administrators BDO Stoy Hayward. [more]

Allied Carpets Properties, the division of Allied Carpets that owns the leases on its stores, is set to be placed into administration. [more]

Book retail chain Borders UK has brought in a restructuring firm to assist in the closure of some of its underperforming stores, it has been reported by The Independent. [more]