Top British homeware chain to shut ALL its stores after collapsing into administration with 133 jobs lost
A TOP British tiling and home interiors supplier will shutter all of its stores after it collapsed into administration.
Fired Earth was forced to make 133 of its employees redundant, while only its head office and warehouse in Banbury will remain open to carry out existing orders.
Sign up for the newsletter
Thank you!
Fired Earth has closed all of its stores after the company collapsed into administrationCredit: Google maps
The company has also let off 133 of its employeesCredit: Google maps
Joint administrators Dane O’Hara and Neil Bennett from Leonard Curtis were appointed on October 31 following the shocking news.
The business, which specialised in high-end tiles and interior design products, operated 20 showrooms across the UK and supplied a further 22 independent stockists.
It also boasted two stores overseas in Denmark and Norway.
Locations set to pull the plug include those in Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Cheltenham, Truro, Nottingham, Chester, Knutsford and Harrogate.
END OF PLAY
Britain’s biggest toy chain forced to cut 41 jobs after plunging to huge loss
SWEET DEAL
Aldi brings back 350g dupe of M&S Xmas must-have that’s perfect for movie nights
There has reportedly been keen interest in an asset-only acquisition from potential buyers.
Dane O’Hara said: “Fired Earth has been loss-making for some time.
“In the last three years, the company has been supported by its shareholder via substantial working capital loans while efforts were made to return the business to profitability.
“Unfortunately, the company continued to incur trading losses, and its investor was not prepared to provide further funding in the absence of a viable turnaround strategy.”
The company gained around £15million in turnover, however they posted a £1.6million loss in 2024 and a similar setback the previous year.
The Sun Online has reached out to Fired Earth for comment.
But it’s not all bad news for UK retailers, as HMV has announced its comeback to the high street.
The high street favourite, once a go-to for CDs, vinyl and movie merch, has announced plans to expand its footprint again after a remarkable turnaround under new ownership.
HMV collapsed into administration in 2019, putting hundreds of jobs and stores at risk, before being rescued by Canadian music retailer Sunrise Records.
It has since seen a steady recovery, with the launch of a massive flagship store in Birmingham in 2019 – one of the largest entertainment stores in Europe.
A new store on Oxford Street returned to the iconic shopping destination in November 2023.
More recently, new branches have opened in Solihull, Canterbury and Belfast, signalling a full-scale retail comeback.
Now, Retail Week reports that HMV is gearing up for further expansion with new stores set to open in Peterborough, Cork and The Hague.
