Workwear and uniforms cataloguer/distributor
Alexandra has fallen into administration. The
company has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as administrator
after abandoning talks to raise funds through the sale of equity.
The administrator will now seek to sell the business as a going
concern. Just
last month we reported on Alexandra’s restructuring efforts.
It had planned to launch a rebranded catalogue in
September.
Online fashion etailer ASOS reported strong UK
and international sales in its first quarter to 30th June. UK
sales are up 32 per cent while international sales more than
doubled during the period–up 111 per cent on the first quarter
last year. International sales now account for 37 per cent of
total retail sales.
Ideal Shopping Direct, which operates the
Ideal World and Create and
Craft TV-shopping channels has confirmed it has begun a
strategic review of the business that may lead to a sale of the
company.
Next is in trouble with the BBC for flouting the distance selling
regulations. According to the report, the retailer fails to
refund delivery charges applied to goods bought online, but then
returned.
Furniture and decor retailer OKA saw operating
losses in the year to 31st December 2009 improve, falling by 54
per cent to £257,186, reports the Telegraph. However, sales in 2009 declined 6
per cent to £13.8 million.
As a cost-cutting measure, confectioner
Thorntons has announced “a staff
restructuring programme” that will make 35 head office
employees redundant over the next three months. In its latest
trading statement, Thorntons reported that sales at its direct
division grew by 17.1 per cent to £900,000 million in the
fourth quarter to 26th June. However, overall sales declined by
4.1 per cent.
Hotel Chocolat has raised £3.7 million from the
sale of its chocolate bonds, reports the Independent. It had aimed to raise £5
million.
The Daily Mail talks to Wendy Miranda,
Lakeland’s “customer advisor” and
“poster girl for perfect domestic
organisation”.
DirectGroup Bertelsmann has sold its book and music club
business in Australia and New Zealand Doubleday
Australia to A&WN Trust. Managing director Andrew Nikas
will continue to lead the company together with the local
management team.
Stationery retailer Paperchase is being sold by
US parent company Borders for approximately
£20 million in a management buyout backed by private equity
group Primary Capital. The Financial Times writes that Paperchase was
dealt a blow last year with the collapse of Borders UK, which led
to the closure of many of the 40 concessions it was operating in
the failed bookstore chain.
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