Edinburgh Woollen Mill falls into administration

Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) has fallen into administration, putting thousands of jobs at risk.

The fashion retailer has 384 stores and 2,571 staff across the UK.

Owner EWM Group has also put its homeware chain Ponden Home, which had 73 stores and 329 employees, into administration.

Administrators from FRP Advisory said Friday that 56 Edinburgh Woollen Mill stores and eight Ponden Home stores have permanently closed in recent weeks.

The rest will continue to trade online and in stores subject to Covid-19 restrictions.

EMW enters administration

On appointment, 750 roles at EWM and 116 at Ponden Home were made redundant.

EWM Group is attempting to save its remaining brands, Peacocks and Jaeger.

“Recent months have proven extremely challenging for many retailers, even those that were trading well before the pandemic, including the teams at Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Ponden Home,” said Tony Wright, joint administrator from FRP.

“The administrations will provide some further protection while we continue our search for buyers to secure the long-term futures for both businesses.

“Regrettably, the impact of Covid-19 on the brands' core customer base and tighter restrictions on trading mean that the current structure of the businesses is unsustainable and has resulted in redundancies,” Wright said. “We are working with all affected members of staff to provide the appropriate support.”

Photo credit: Jaeger, Facebook