British Home Stores is expected to make an unexpected comeback on the high street within a limited number of Beales stores.
The beleaguered department store fell into administration in 2016, when its international operations were acquired by Al Mana, a Qatari conglomerate.
Now, according to a report by the Financial Times, Al Mana has struck a deal with Bournemouth-based department store Beales and has begun trialing new BHS concessions in nine of its stores.
If the concessions perform well, it they could be rolled out across Beales wider estate.
Beales operates just over 20 stores, focused on the south west of England.
“They are passionate about getting the brand back onto the UK high street, and so am I”, Beales chief executive Tony Brown said.
“It’s an ideal marriage. Different concessions – menswear, womenswear, homewares and lighting – will be trialled in different locations. It’s to understand if the brands can still resonate with the customer.”
While the aftermath of BHS’s pensions deficit continues to make headlines, it remains to be seen how consumers will approach the return of a much-loved high street stalwart.
Just last month former BHS owner Dominic Chappell failed to overturn his conviction after he was unable to provide the Pensions Regulator with information about the BHS’ pension schemes, for which he was fined £50,000.
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