By Mike Sheridan

Copyright expressandstar

After months of speculation about the future of the struggling retailer, administrators confirmed the closure of all remaining branches of Bodycare today (Monday) including the firm’s shops in Merry Hill, Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth, with the loss of 444 jobs nationwide.

The business has struggled with various issues during a tumultuous final few weeks, including a lack of stock and what it describes as “significant costs” associated with running its physical stores.

Joint administrator Interpath was working on a deal to save the ailing firm – but now says that despite interest from a “number of parties”, any sale involving the group’s remaining high street stores was “unlikely”, with all stores set to close by this Saturday (September 27).

“Given the shortage of stock and significant costs associated with operating stores, it is no longer viable to continue to trade the business. As such, the joint administrators have made the difficult decision to commence a closure programme for the remaining 56 stores,” said a spokesperson for Interpath.

“Regrettably, all 444 members of staff at these locations will be made redundant upon the closing of their respective stores. The administrators will continue to provide all support to those impacted, including supporting them with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.”

The firm collapsed into administration in early September, immediately announcing plans to close 32 of its then 147 stores, including in Cannock, Stourbridge and West Bromwich.

The discount cosmetics firm shut down its store in Dudley last week as part of the next wave of closures, one of 14 additional stores that closed on Tuesday, with a further 16 that closed on Thursday, September 18.

Despite the closures, the administrators said the company’s remaining 56 stores would continue “trading as usual” while trying to find a buyer for the business – however stores across the country had put up “closing down” posters and with shelves stipped bare in some stores, the Lancashire group’s ability to carry on appeared increasingly untenable.

“We understand this has been a difficult period and so we want to further express our sincere thanks to Bodycare’s staff who, since day one of the administration, have maintained the strong standards of presentation and customer service that Bodycare was renowned for,” said Nick Holloway, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator.

“We will continue to explore options for the company’s assets, including the Bodycare brand, and will provide further updates in due course.”