Jobs at risk in Broughton as Brantano footwear goes into administration

The value shoe retailer Brantano UK has gone into administration leaving around 20 jobs at its Broughton retail park store at risk and 2,000 jobs nationally.

Administrator PwC have been called in just four months after it was bought by a specialist retail investor.

PwC said Brantano’s website and store network would continue to trade as normal for now.

The firm, based in Coalville in Leicestershire, operates 140 stores and 60 concessions across the UK and is the only major retail casualty of the festive season to date.

Brantano was bought by Alteri Investors last October but PWC said it had “experienced difficult trading conditions” and it was placed in administration “despite sustained efforts to make the business more commercially viable”.

The administrator added that Jones Bootmaker, also owned by Alteri, was not affected by Brantano’s collapse.

Tony Barrell, the lead administrator, said:

“The continuing challenging conditions for ‘bricks and mortar’ retail stores are well documented.

“Like many others, Brantano has been hit hard by the change in consumers’ shopping habits and the evolution of the UK retail environment.

“The administrators are continuing to trade the businesses as normal whilst we assess the trading strategy over the coming days and weeks.

“Staff will be paid their arrears of wages and salaries, and will continue to be paid for their work during the Administration.”

Robert Moran, who is leading the sales process, appeared hopeful of a buyer being found.He said:

“Brantano is an established value shoe retailer in the UK and Jones Bootmaker/Brantano businesses attracted considerable interest during the 2015 sales process.

“We are now assessing interest in the UK Brantano business as a whole or its parts and we welcome approaches from interested parties.”