// Bonmarche rescued by Philip Day’s Peacocks
// Day has now acquired the majority of Bonmarché’s assets
Bonmarché has reportedly been sold to Peacocks following months of speculation.
The fashion retailer, owned by Philip Day’s investment firm Spectre Holdings, has now acquired the majority of Bonmarché’s assets, including stock and around 200 stores, Drapers reported.
However, a deal on the rest of its store estate has not yet been completed.
READ MORE:
Bonmarché fell into administration in October, putting around 2900 jobs at risk.
Specialist advisory firm FRP was appointed as administrators.
FRP said at the time that Bonmarche would continue to trade with no immediate job losses or store closures, as it assessed options to secure its future and search for a buyer.
Following the administration, Spectre Holdings lost its £5.73 million equity investment in Bonmarche.
Peacocks is currently in talks with some landlords about whether it is able to take the rest of the Bonmarche stores forward.
Bonmarché currently has around 270 stores in the UK.
In late November, Peacocks was revealed as the preferred bidder for Bonmarche.
The deal would result in the closure of 30 “underperforming and unsustainable” Bonmarché stores by December 11 and “potential” further redundancies.
At the time, joint administrators Tony Wright, Alastair Massey and Phil Pierce at advisory firm FRP Advisory said the Peacocks deal was the “best opportunity to maximise returns for creditors and sell the business on a going concern basis”.
In December, Bonmarche’s chief executive Helen Connolly stepped down from the embattled retailer.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
28 Comments. Leave new
Very pleased that Bon Marche has been rescued. They have been my go to site. My wardrobe has so many of their clothes. Excellent result
Keep bonmarche shops they are good for all ages of women. Plus the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Why don’t they just mix the brands Peacocks /Bonmarce 1 shop keep staff and the money they save on rent in one stoe will pay wages
They use to have some stores years ago which were half bonmarche half peacocks when it was the old company.
I was so happy to see bonmarche come to aberdeen couldn’t get affordable good quality and length trousers tops
to was so sorry when i heard it was closing never liked peacocks
So he runs BM into the ground, taking large directors fees in the process, and then buys it back at a huge discount. Nice business if you can get it.
He didn’t own peacocks when they had bon marche last time
I can’t shop at peacocks it’s messy n off course younger staff!! Bonmarche has a great selection for all ages including mature n older ladies all sizes fit well n different lengths in trousers. helpful brilliant staff. Hope the quality REMAINS AS GOOD.
We need shops like Bonmarche for fashion conscious older ladies.
We sure do. They were the only reasonably priced outlet for over 50s ladies who still liked to dress with a certain amount of style
Please don’t close the Stockport branch, the only shop in Stockport which caters for older fashion conscious ladies.
This is a joke, my daughter lost her job with u in January, she worked hard there for 10 years with you.
All you done was a phone call and she had to leave there and then.
So does this mean if you bye this store will all the people, get there jobs back
I love bonmarche hope they open the bury store again love the clothes line it caters for young and old both me and my mum love it
Bonmarche good quality and fashionable
Peacocks rubbish quality
They don’t mix
I tend to agree…..
Entirely agree. Peacocks is rubbish not for the older customer
Peacocks is rubbish compared to bonmarche , please don’t lose the quality & style we have now.
So happy the store has been saved, I loved shopping there
I like bonmarche and the staff in Ely Cambridge have been brilliant good quality sizes have been good and good quality keep a shop is suited for all
Keep Bonmarch’e open they cater for all age groups plus sizes and trouser lengths . Peacocks only cater for the young ones . My best store is Bonmarch’e any day .
The problem started when Bon Marche quality deteriorated, poor quality material, poor quality sizing and poor designs. Not all women want skinny leggings and oversized tops. Older women want fashionable comfy clothes, I.e. pull on Jean’s but not skinny and more shorter lengths, there are a lot of short people out there. Including me.
Hope they keep the Bonmarch quality
So happy the store has been saved, it the only shop I can get Jean that fit me propaly and are the right length
I used to love Bonmarche but then it only sold loads of nylon clothes which I don’t like. Why should older adults only be offered man made clothes.
peacocks have lots of cotton tops. Their children’s clothes are lovely. All ages can shop there.
Bonmarche now stock lots of cotton tops. I bought one myself the other day, 3/4 sleeves, black and white, £10. Lovely quality cotton. They also had a variety of colours including a lovely cerise and white. I am 67 and like products in both Bonmarche and Peacocks. I don’t think age should be considered with fashion, it’s what you like yourself and what suits you.
If it was as well loved as you guys seem to be implying I very much doubt that it would have had such financial problems. Clearly it has a small loyal following that would be sorry to see it go, but it’s just as clear that not enough people shop there to make it a viable business.
Well I’m 58 and love peacocks it is not just for youngsters as mentioned in a previous post. But then I wouldn’t shop in Bon Marche, so each to their own. Everyone as different views and taste
Hope they will separate the stores as much as possible and keep the caring side of Bonmarche staff and the style and age appropriate sizing and quality that has served us ladies for so long. Do not lower the standard of quality that we all love!