British shoe retailer Russell & Bromley has closed all 33 of its remaining stores and nine concessions, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs. The final store closure occurred on 23 April, following an administration process that saw the company acquired by Next in a £2.5m pre-pack deal.
Administrators Interpath confirmed that all stores not transferred to Next have now shut. Before the closures, the footwear chain employed 320 staff, and the majority of those in non-transferring stores have been made redundant. The administrators are providing support to affected employees, including assistance with redundancy claims.
The sale to Next, announced on 21 January, included the Russell & Bromley brand, intellectual property, and three stores: two in London (Chelsea and Mayfair) and one in the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. Next pledged to preserve the brand's legacy and return it to its core mission of premium footwear and accessories.
Russell & Bromley was founded in Eastbourne in 1880 by George Bromley and Elizabeth Russell. It employed over 450 people before administration and was led by Andrew Bromley, who described the sale as the best route to secure the brand's future.
