Shoe retailer Russell & Bromley has closed 33 stores with redundancies among staff after the chain went into administration – some stores were sold to fashion chain Next
British shoe shop chain Russell & Bromley has closed 33 stores.
Administrators said the planned closure of the 33 stores and nine concessions not acquired by Next is now complete. The last Russell & Bromley store closure took place on April 23 after the firm announced the first 10 closures on April 21.
The footwear retailer had 320 employees before the closures, with administrators reporting redundancies. Administrators Interpath are yet to confirm how many left ahead of being made redundant.
“All stores that did not transfer to Next as part of that transaction closed on or before 23 April 2026,” the joint administrators told Drapers. “Regrettably, these closures mean that the majority of employees working in the non‑transferring stores have been made redundant.
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“The administrators and their teams are engaging closely with all affected staff and will be providing support throughout the process, including assisting individuals in submitting claims to the redundancy payments service.
“The administrators continue to oversee the wind‑down of the remaining parts of the business and will provide further updates as appropriate.”
On January 21 it was announced Next had acquired Russell & Bromley in a £2.5m pre-pack administration cash deal. The sale saw Next scoop the Russell & Bromley brand, other intellectual property and three of its stores.
Three stores in Chelsea and Mayfair, London, and Bluewater shopping centre, Kent, were included in the purchase.
Russell & Bromley was founded in 1880 by George Bromley and Elizabeth Russell in Eastbourne. It employed more than 450 people and was run by Andrew Bromley before going into administration.
In a statement after announcing the deal in January, Next said: “This acquisition secures the future of a much-loved British footwear brand.
“Next intends to build on this legacy and provide the operational stability and expertise to support Russell & Bromley’s next chapter, allowing it to return to its core mission: the design and curation of world-class, premium footwear and accessories for many years to come.”
Announcing the sale, Andrew Bromley, chief executive of Russell & Bromley, said: “Following a strategic review with external advisers, we have taken the difficult decision to sell the Russell & Bromley brand.
“This is the best route to secure the future for the brand, and we would like to thank our staff, suppliers, partners and customers for their support throughout our history.”
