Threat to Harrogate store of becoming latest victim of 'bad times on Britain’s high street'
One of Harrogate’s best-known shops is under threat of closure after its parent company called in the administrators.
LK Bennett has been a popular presence at 47-49 James Street in Harrogate for decades, offering affordable luxury fashion in womenswear.
As a famous heritage brand, it has been a go-to store for sophisticated clothing, elegant footwear, and stylish handbags.
But now the signs have gone up saying “massive stock clearance”, “everything reduced” and “everything must go”.
Nationally, LK Bennett is now in administration, and, while the LK Bennett brand has been bought by investment firm Gordon Brothers, the deal did not include the retailer's estate of physical shops.
Administrators say there are nine standalone LK Bennett shops which have been identified as being at risk of closure and one of them is the Harrogate branch.
In addition, 13 department store concessions will continue trading for up to three months but that closures are likely by April this year.
It also means 89 employees are at risk of redundancy.
Founded in London in 1990 by Linda Bennett, LK Bennett promised to "bring a bit of Bond Street to the high street" and, for nearly 30 years, did just that.
The pioneering brand’s ready-to-wear collections were introduced in 1998 establishing them as a leading fashion house offering complete wardrobe solutions for all occasion.
It went into administration in 2019 and was bought by Chinese investors.
But now the chain looks set to become another victim of these bad times on Britain’s high street.