Original Factory Shop closes all stores amid collapse Retail The Original Factory Shop has closed all 137 stores and its head office, after the retailer collapsed into administration amid growing industry fears over weak consumer confidence and high taxes. The discount department store was put into administration along with Claire’s Accessories earlier this year, as private equity firm Modella Capital said government policy was [...]
EO Charging collapses despite European EV sales boom Tech EO Charging has gone into administration, with 69 jobs slashed, in a recent blow to the UK’s EV infrastructure sector as car sales across the continent accelerate. PwC was appointed administrator to the EV charging firm, which traded as Juuce Limited, on 8 April. The consultancy said that more than two thirds of the 93 [...]
‘I fired the board that fired me’: TGI Fridays boss on restaurant turnaround Hospitality TGI Fridays had its heyday in the 1980s but slumped into administration last year. Its new boss Ray Blanchette tells Felix Armstrong the nostalgic chain can win back Britain after a period in turmoil. “I land at Heathrow and jump in a cab. The plane got in late,” says Ray Blanchette, recalling the day he [...]
MFS software platform put up for sale after lender’s collapse April 7, 2026 A software platform developed for Market Finance Solutions has been put up for sale by administrators following the lender’s collapse, City AM can reveal. The software, which has been designed to be used in conjunction with Salesforce, was built as an “automated lending platform” including sales, underwriting and ‘KYC’ identity checks for new customers. “The [...]
Private credit firm exposed after cosmetics retailer plunges into administration April 7, 2026 A private credit firm has been forced to write down the value of one of its portfolio companies after online retailer Give Me Cosmetics was placed into administration. London-based Beechbrook capital, which offers finance to lower mid-market British businesses, had lent around £6.5m to fund the acquisition of Give Me Cosmetics in April 2024, in [...]
FCA launches investigation into collapsed shadow bank MFS March 20, 2026 The UK’s financial watchdog has begun a probe into shadow bank Market Financial Solutions following its collapse last month. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it had opened an enforcement investigation into the business. The regulator did not disclose the subject or terms of the investigation. The FCA said MFS is an “Annex 1 business”, [...]
Thames Water creditors offer ‘best and final’ rescue funding deal March 16, 2026 Thames Water’s creditors have offered a “best and final” offer deal involving new debt and equity in a bid to prevent it from falling into a special administration regime. Investment behemoths Elliott Management, Silver Point Capital, Invesco, PIMCO and other creditors behind the consortium London & Valley Water have presented Ofwat, the water regulator, with [...]
TG Jones owner Modella Capital weighs latest asset sale March 10, 2026 The investment firm which owns TG Jones is reportedly considering the latest exit from its string of retail acquisitions. Modella Capital has been discussing a potential sale of Wynsors World of Shoes, a northern shoeseller which the firm acquired just three months ago, according to Sky News’ Mark Kleinman. The private equity firm has repeatedly [...]
Revolution Bars owner appoints administrators as hospitality crisis deepens January 26, 2026 Dozens of bars up and down the country could soon shut their doors for the last time as one of Britain’s best-known hospitality groups prepares to appoint administrators. Revel Collective, which owns more than sixty venues comprising the Revolution Bars group as well as the Peach pub chain, said it expects to appoint administrators within [...]
Exclusive: Brits say taxpayer shouldn’t bail out struggling football and rugby clubs January 5, 2026 The majority of Brits say that the government should not use taxpayer money to support professional football and rugby clubs that are teetering on the edge of financial difficulty. Exclusive research by Ipsos for City AM shows that British adults think football teams (67 per cent) and rugby teams (66 per cent) should not seek [...]