The company behind a major UK leather brand has collapsed into liquidation after 43 years in business. Felldale Retail, which operated several Lakeland Leather branches in the UK, entered voluntary liquidation in May, according to The Gazette. The firm, which was incorporated in 2014, ran Lakeland Leather stores across the UK as a subsidiary on behalf of Lakeland Fashion Limited. Its collapse follows the closure of several of the leather brand's stores in recent months, including in Kendal and Carlisle in Cumbria.
Orderly Wind-Up of Affairs
A spokesperson for the clothing brand said: "I can confirm Lakeland Fashion has now placed its subsidiary, Felldale Retail Limited, into liquidation as part of an orderly wind-up of its affairs. Felldale had previously announced [the] closure of seven underperforming stores. Now the stores are closed, the liquidation phase is the next step and relates solely to the legacy store portfolio."
The spokesperson added that Lakeland Limited as an overall brand "continues to trade profitably". "[The liquidation] follows the strategic decision to exit physical locations that were no longer commercially viable in the current retail climate," they continued. "The process allows the business to conclude this chapter in an orderly manner."
Remaining Stores and Closures
The brand now consists of a remaining 12 stores and concession shops, operated by Lakeland Fashion directly. The recent spate of closures also included branches in Southport, York, Northallerton, Gretna and Chester. A notice pinned to the door of the Kendal store read: "With a heavy heart, we are closing our Kendal store due to the ongoing economic challenges faced by small specialist retail groups such as ours. We want to thank you, our wonderful customers, for your loyalty, friendship and support over the past 43 years - Kendal has truly meant the world to us. While it's time for us to leave ... you can shop with us online at lakelandleather.co.uk or visit one of our other retail and concessions stores."
