Ted Baker, the iconic British fashion brand, is set to close the doors of its remaining stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland by the end of the day on Tuesday, 20th August. The closures mark the end of an era for the brand, which has faced significant challenges in recent years.
Sky News reported on Sunday that negotiations between Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group and Authentic Brands Group, which owns Ted Baker’s intellectual property, have reached an impasse. This development has cast doubt over the future of more than 500 jobs in the UK and 78 in Ireland.
The list of stores set to close includes major retail locations across the UK and Ireland, such as London’s Regent Street, Dublin’s Grafton Street, and Glasgow’s Buchanan Street. Other affected stores include branches in Ashford, Bath, Belfast, Bluewater, Braintree, Brent Cross (London), Bridgend, Cannock, Cheshire Oaks, Gatwick North and South, Gloucester Quays, Heathrow Airport (Terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5), Kildare, Livingston, Luton, Manchester Shambles, O2 Outlet, Portsmouth, Sheffield, St Pancras (London), Stansted, Swindon, White City (London), and York.
The closures come just months after the brand shut down 15 other branches earlier this year, resulting in the loss of approximately 245 jobs. The firm behind Ted Baker’s UK operations, No Ordinary Designer Label (NODL), went into administration in March, leading to the current round of closures.
NODL’s administrators are managing the winding down of the remaining 31 branches, marking a significant contraction for the brand that once stood as a staple of British high street fashion.
As the final stores prepare to close, the fate of the brand and its employees remains uncertain, leaving many to wonder what the future holds for Ted Baker.
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