// LK Bennett to restructure its store teams
// 19 jobs will go as a result of the new restructure
// The majority of the roles affected are store manager and staff positions
LK Bennett has reportedly said it will restructure its store teams to introduce new “cluster managers”, who will be responsible for more than one location.
The premium womenswear retailer said the restructure will lead to 19 redundancies.
The majority of the roles affected are store manager and staff positions and LK Bennett said they will be redeployed into new roles, Drapers reported.
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LK Bennett currently employs 400 people and has 18 standalone stores, all of which have now reopened following the Covid-19 lockdown.
Chief executive Darren Topp said the changes are being made to reflect the reduced volume of business in those particular stores that it expects to not return to normal.
However, its digital and international businesses are “trading strongly”.
LK Bennett axed 10 head office roles in May, as the pandemic took its toll on retail.
They included senior managers in teams across finance, IT, HR and design, each with salaries of between £60,000 and £100,000.
In June, it informed all head office employees with pay packets over £37,500 that it would temporarily reduce their salaries by 10 per cent to avoid job cuts.
At the time, the retailer was considering selling its London head office and looking at options to eradicate having a head office altogether in a bid to further cut costs.
LK Bennett appointed EY as administrator of its UK business on March 7.
On April 12, Rebecca Feng, who ran LK Bennett’s Chinese franchises, bought the UK, Ireland and wholesale business of the premium womenswear retailer for £9.8 million through the company Byland UK.
Earlier this year, the administrators extended the company’s administration process for a further year.
LK Bennett said it is currently repurposing the unused space at its West End store on Brook Street into office space.
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