Viyella join the ever growing list of failed UK companies

January 12th, 2009 by admin | Filed under Daily News, Employment, Recession, Retail, UK Small Business.

Viyella, a company who has been at the forefront of the fashion industry for more than a century has announced that they are calling in the administrators.

The company who earned their name and reputation as suppliers of women’s clothing to leading middle to top end retailers , including Marks and Spencer.

In addition to supplying the trade, Viyella owned and operated forty retail outlets under their own label, a further sixty four franchised stores as well as two “outlets” close to their factory in the Midlands.

All in all the Viyella Company employed around 500 people both in manufacturing and in distribution and retail. The privately owned company turned over thirty million pounds annually at their peak. Their owners, Harris Watson are confident that a buyer can be found, as the Viyella brand name has been around the high streets of the UK for too long to disappear,

Viyella became known to the British public as a cloth blend of merino wool and cotton wove into a twill material. Such was the popularity of the material that its name spread rapidly, becoming a brand name that has remained on display in British stores since 1893.

Birmingham based administrators, Poppleton & Appleby are handling the administration with Andrew Turpin and Martin Coyne jointly representing the company. .

When asked his feelings on the future of the company, Andrew Turpin replied “The Viyella brand is trusted and respected both at home and abroad, and we expect that the prospect of a sale of the brand and the infrastructure will raise significant interest amongst other retailers. Indeed we have already been contacted by interested parties”.

Viyella are also active in menswear, cosmetics and home ware retailing. However none of these businesses are expected to be affected by the closure of their women’s fashion outlets.