Bodycare, the well-known British high street beauty retailer, has announced the closure of another 30 of its UK stores this week, marking a significant blow to its presence on the nation’s shopping streets. The chain, which entered administration on September 5, 2025, is now facing the harsh reality of a shrinking footprint, with only 85 shops set to remain open once the latest round of closures is complete.
The company’s troubles first became public earlier this month when administrators from Interpath were appointed, citing a perfect storm of rising costs, funding shortfalls, and increasingly strained relationships with suppliers. These mounting pressures led to immediate stock shortages and, ultimately, the decision that it was no longer viable to keep all 115 stores retained at the time of administration trading. As reported by BBC, the administrators stated, “given the shortage of stock and costs associated with operating stores, it is no longer viable to continue to trade all 115 stores retained on appointment.”
The latest closures are scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2025, and Thursday, September 18, 2025. Fourteen stores will close their doors on Tuesday, including locations in Bolton, Bromsgrove, Castleford, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Greenock, Mansfield, Salford, Skipton, Stevenage, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Thornaby, Ulverston, and Whitehaven. On Thursday, the remaining sixteen shops set for closure include Dudley, Dunfermline, Hanley, Hull, Hyde, Ilford, Ipswich, Morpeth, Newark, Northallerton, Ormskirk, Redcar, Rochdale, Shrewsbury, St Helens, and Workington. These closures will impact a wide swath of communities across England, Scotland, and Wales, from Greater Manchester to Cumbria and beyond.
The human cost of these closures is significant. According to Manchester Evening News and The Independent, about 235 staff members working at these stores will be made redundant this week. This follows the loss of around 450 jobs just days after the company entered administration, when 32 stores were shuttered immediately. All told, 685 jobs have been lost since the collapse, a sobering figure for a company that, until recently, employed around 1,500 people.
Nick Holloway, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, expressed gratitude for the dedication shown by Bodycare employees during this turbulent period. “We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the hundreds of dedicated Bodycare staff who have shown such professionalism since our appointment,” Holloway said in a statement quoted by The Guardian and several regional outlets. He added, “We will continue to trade the remaining 85 stores while we remain in discussions with interested parties with the aim of preserving as much of the business as possible.”
The administrators are actively seeking a buyer for the business and its assets. There has been “interest from a number of parties” regarding the remaining stores, according to a spokesperson for Interpath. The hope is that a rescue sale could secure the future of at least some of the surviving outlets, providing a lifeline for remaining staff and loyal customers alike. However, until any deal is finalized, uncertainty looms large for everyone involved.
The reasons behind Bodycare’s collapse are emblematic of the wider challenges facing the British high street. The company, founded in Lancashire in 1970, has long been a favorite for shoppers seeking affordable branded toiletries, fragrances, and beauty essentials. Its stores are known for their bright lighting, eye-catching window displays (often featuring pyramids of washing up powder or stacks of toilet tissue), and warehouse-style shelving packed with everything from lip balm to foot cream. But in recent years, the retailer has struggled to keep pace with the rapidly changing retail landscape.
As BBC and Newry Reporter detail, Bodycare has been hit hard by rising rents, escalating operating costs, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, which has squeezed consumer spending. At the same time, the shift towards online shopping and the growing dominance of supermarkets in the beauty and personal care market have eroded the company’s customer base. The funding shortfalls and supply chain issues that ultimately tipped the business into administration were, in many ways, the final straw in a long-running battle for survival.
The latest closures have sparked concern in communities where Bodycare stores have been a fixture for decades. For example, in Teesside, the Thornaby store will close on Tuesday, with Redcar following on Thursday. Local shoppers have noticed closing down sale signs in Middlesbrough’s Hillstreet Shopping Centre, although it has yet to be confirmed if that particular store will also shut its doors. The closures will leave a noticeable gap in shopping centers and high streets already reeling from the loss of other household names.
Administrators have urged customers to check before traveling to their local Bodycare, as closures may happen at short notice. For bargain hunters and those who rely on Bodycare for discounted toiletries and beauty products, the loss of nearby stores could mean higher prices or longer journeys in search of alternatives.
The fate of the remaining 85 stores now hangs in the balance. While administrators continue to trade these outlets and negotiate with interested buyers, the future of Bodycare as a recognizable high street brand is far from certain. The company’s story is a stark reminder of the pressures facing brick-and-mortar retailers in the UK today—a combination of economic headwinds, shifting consumer habits, and the relentless march of online competition.
For the staff, customers, and communities affected, the coming weeks will be anxious ones. As the search for a buyer continues, many are left hoping that at least some of Bodycare’s legacy can be preserved, offering a glimmer of hope amid the current wave of high street closures.
