The company behind health and beauty chain Bodycare has gone into administration – and more than 30 stories will close as administrators plan the future of the business.

Nick Holloway, Chris Pole and Mike Leeds from Interpath have today been named as joint administrators to G.R. & M.M. Blackledge plc, which trades as Bodycare.

The business, which was founded in 1970 in Lancashire and is still based in the county, had 147 stores across the Ƶ and employs some 1,500 people.

Interpath says that like many other retailers, the chain has been hit by rising costs and slow consumer spending.

The Chorley-based group also faced a shortfall in funding after a planned IPO was cancelled in 2024, hitting supplier relationships and leading to stock shortages. Interpath said: “Despite the very best efforts of the directors to address these challenges, and with creditor pressure mounting, the difficult decision was taken to file for the appointment of administrators.”

The administrators have announced the immediate closure of 32 stores with the loss of 450 jobs, but will continue to trade the remaining 115 as usual while they explore options for the business, including a potential sale of the company or its assets.

Nick Holloway, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said: “These remain challenging times for high street retailers as rising costs and reduced consumer spending continue to weigh heavily on trading. Unfortunately for Bodycare, which was also contending with a significant funding gap and increasing creditor pressure, these challenges proved too difficult to overcome.”

He added: “Our intention is to trade the majority of the company’s stores in order to realise stock while we explore options for a possible sale of the business and its assets. In addition, and as a matter of priority, we will be providing all support to those employees impacted by redundancy, including supporting them in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.”

Here are the Bodycare stores that will close

  • Beverley
  • Cameron Toll
  • Cannock
  • Clydebank
  • Cramlington
  • Croydon
  • Darwen
  • Dumfries
  • Edinburgh
  • Erdington
  • Falkirk
  • Hemel Hempstead
  • Kirkcaldy
  • Loughborough
  • Lytham St Annes
  • Macclesfield
  • Maidstone
  • Morecambe
  • Newport
  • Northfield
  • Paisley
  • Parkhead
  • Perth
  • Port Talbot
  • Rhyl
  • Royton
  • Scunthorpe
  • Stourbridge
  • Tamworth
  • West Bromwich
  • Wood Green
  • Wrexham