Overview

• Interpath’s Nick Holloway, Chris Pole and Mike Leeds have been appointed joint administrators to G.R. & M.M. Blackledge plc, which trades as Bodycare.
• The retailer operated 147 UK stores and employed about 1,500 people, and its website has been taken offline during the insolvency process.
• Interpath cited rising rent and staffing costs, a delayed move to e-commerce, pressure on customers’ spending and an aborted 2024 IPO that created a funding shortfall and strained supplier relationships.
• Reports last week indicated Bodycare had secured around £7 million in inventory-backed financing, which proved insufficient to stabilize the business.
• Administrators said remaining stores will trade to realize stock while options are assessed, and they will support affected staff in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.