Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

CoronavirusLatest NewsRetailJob creation and lossesFurlough

Oasis and Warehouse in administration as sale talks collapse

by Ashleigh Webber 15 Apr 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 15 Apr 2020 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Women’s fashion retailers Oasis and Warehouse have appointed administrators, with the immediate loss of 200 jobs and more than 2,000 other roles at risk.

Coronavirus and administration

High Court offers clarity around furlough during administration

Businesses appoint administrators as virus closures hit high streets

Laura Ashley to appoint administrators as coronavirus hits funding bid

Debenhams enters administration to protect it from creditors

The companies’ owner, Icelandic bank Kaupthing Bank, had been in discussions with a prospective buyer for the two fashion brands over the past few weeks. However, according to Sky News, the coronavirus pandemic made a solvent sale impossible to conclude.

Around 2,300 are employed by the group, which trades from 90 standalone stores and 437 concessions in department stores such as Debenhams and House of Fraser.

Administrator Deloitte has furloughed 1,800 of  the retailers’ staff, but 200 have been made redundant.

Earlier this week, a High Court judgment provided clarity around how administrators should apply the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for staff whose employer has begun insolvency proceedings.

Hash Ladha,chief executive of Oasis Warehouse, said: “This is a situation that none of us could have predicted a month ago, and comes as shocking and difficult news for all of us.

“We as a management team have done everything we can to try and save the iconic brands that we love.”

The retail sector has faced significant challenges since the coronavirus pandemic forced non-essential stores to temporarily close. Last week Debenhams went into administration, putting around 22,000 jobs at risk; while floral fashion company Cath Kidston, which employs 950 people, filed for administration.

In March, homeware retailer Laura Ashley appointed administrators after it had been unable to secure new funding because of uncertainty around how it would be affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The restaurant sector has also been hit hard by the virus, with Carluccio’s and Chiquito beginning insolvency proceedings last month.

Retail expert Dr Gordon Fletcher of the University of Salford Business School said the coronavirus had placed unexpected pressure on high street businesses.

He said: “The current health emergency has brought another unexpected pressure. Despite its name, fast fashion does have long lead times and supply chains that stretch around the world. This form of operation still brings containers of clothing to warehouses but now without the opportunity to put the goods in front of consumers. With no footfall on the high street the single distinguishing feature between the high street and online retailers has instantly disappeared.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This article was updated on 16 April.

HR roles in retail and wholesale on Personnel Today


Browse more HR roles in retail and wholesale

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Only a third of graduates confident about securing role
next post
Construction companies can begin work on HS2

You may also like

Construction workers win compensation claim against defunct employer

9 May 2025

The Range could rescue 70 Homebase stores

13 Nov 2024

The Body Shop rescued from administration

10 Sep 2024

Fashion retailer Ted Baker to enter administration

20 Mar 2024

What’s in store for The Body Shop’s employees?

23 Feb 2024

Job losses as The Body Shop begins to...

20 Feb 2024

The Body Shop goes into administration

13 Feb 2024

Company insolvencies at 30-year high

30 Jan 2024

Surge in government spending on unpaid wages and...

25 Jan 2024

200 jobs lost as housebuilder enters administration

9 Jan 2024

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+