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08th Feb 2021

About 2,500 jobs lost as Boohoo buys Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Burton

Jade Hayden

Another blow for high street stores.

2,450 people have lost their jobs after Boohoo bought fashion brands Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, and Burton.

The deal, totalling €28.7 million, includes the brands’ stock, e-commerce and digital assets and not the retailers’ 214 shops, which will not reopen again.

Administrators in Deloitte have said that the staff were informed of the news this morning. It is expected that approximately 260 jobs will be saved, comprised predominantly of head office roles. Some staff will be kept on for about a month during the buying transition period.

Boohoo chief executive John Lyttle said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of the assets associated with the online businesses of the three established brands Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Wallis.

“Acquiring these well-known brands in British fashion out of administration ensures their heritage is sustained, while our investment aims to transform them into brands that are fit for the current market environment.

“We have a successful track record of integrating British heritage fashion brands on to our proven multi-brand platform, and we are looking forward to bringing these brands on board.”

Chairman Mahmud Kamani added: “This is a great acquisition for the group as we extend our market share across a broader demographic, capitalising on growth opportunities as more and more customers shop online.

“We continue to grow our portfolio of brands and customer base, strengthening our position as a leader in global fashion e-commerce.”

Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, and Burton were a part of the UK’s Arcadia group, which fell into administration last December. The group’s Topshop brands were recently sold to ASOS, leading the loss of a substantial number of jobs there too.

Staff expressed anger at the time after finding out about the news on social media before many had been contacted by the administrator.

Acardia have now completed sales of all of their brands.

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