Lisburn Bonmarche set to remain open

Bonmarche had been part of the Peacocks Group which went into administration last week. Private equity firm Sun European Partners, which also owns the Alexon and Jacques Vert brands, bought the women’s clothing retailer out of administration in a so-called pre-pack deal for an undisclosed sum believed to be worth £10m.

Sun, which bought the entire chain apart from three stores, has said it will continue to run 230 stores but will close about 160. Those closing include Lurgan, Portadown and Banbridge.

The store closures mean it will continue to employ about 2,400 of the chain’s 3,800 strong workforce.

The staff in stores set for the axe are being told and the outlets are expected to shut in the near future. The company said it was too early to release a list of sites to be closed but it is understood Lisburn is safe.

Bonmarche is one of the UK’s largest women’s-only value retailers and sells clothing in a wide range of sizes.

Chris Laverty, joint administrator at KPMG, said: “Given the hostile conditions on the high street, we’re pleased to have concluded a sale with Sun European Partners. The deal is a positive step forward in underscoring Bonmarche’s future.”

Sun, which is ultimately based in the US, will also take on Bonmarche’s head office in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Its vice-president, Matthias Gundlach, said it was working with current management to put “a sustainable growth programme” in place.