Lidl has said it expects to open more than 50 new stores in the next 12 months as part of a £600 million investment plan. The UK’s sixth-largest supermarket chain said the move will create close to 2,000 jobs across the UK.

New store openings will include sites such as Abbots Langley near Watford, Warrington in Cheshire and Thornbury in Gloucestershire, which are all set to open this summer, the company said. Lidl said it will host more than 150 property partners and agents later this month to share its future growth plans as it targets new freehold, leasehold, or long-leasehold properties across Great Britain.

The firm has more than 1,000 stores across Britain and employs more than 35,000 workers. It also operates over 12,600 stores globally across 31 countries, with the vast majority of its footprint in mainland Europe, including over 3,000 in Germany, around 1,600 in France and nearly 200 US stores.

Ryan McDonnell, chief executive of Lidl GB, said: “As we grow, we want to positively impact our British communities. We’re not just opening doors, we’re unlocking regional growth.

“Our expansion translates directly into high-quality jobs and gives British suppliers the certainty they need to invest in the future.

“Above all, it advances our social purpose of making affordable, healthy food accessible to everyone.”

Employment minister Kate Dearden said: “This kind of investment is exactly what we want to see from big employers – creating thousands of good jobs that pay fair wages and boost the standard of living in communities across the country.”

It comes after Lidl reported a 10% surge in sales over a “record-breaking” Christmas, during which nearly 51 million customers shopped with the discounter.

A children’s bike manufacturer has fallen into administration, with staff being made redundant. Frog Bikes, headquartered in Ascot, Berkshire, with a factory in Pontypool, Wales, has begun laying off staff after filing for administration.

The business was launched by parents Jerry and Shelley Lawson in 2013. According to their website, the company aimed to “create high-quality, lightweight bikes specifically designed for children”. It worked with Olympic bike engineer Dimitris Katsanis to create bikes perfectly suited to young riders.

However, official records on The Gazette show that Frog Bikes appointed Anthony John Wright and Alastair Rex Massey, of FRP Advisory Trading Limited, as administrators on Thursday, February 19.

The brand previously confirmed the news, citing “tighter financial markets and reduced access to funding (making) it increasingly difficult for growing manufacturing businesses to secure the requisite working capital”.

It also blamed Brexit and difficulties adjusting to post-pandemic “supply chain disruption”, as reported by road.cc.

In 2021, the owners of Frog Bikes claimed that leaving the EU cost them £250,000 in two months. Then, just two years later, their accounts showed losses of £500,000.

Staff at Frog Bikes are now being made redundant, with a few making announcements on LinkedIn describing it as “a difficult day”.

A discount furniture retailer, established in 1967, has entered administration, putting nearly 1,200 jobs at risk. The Original Factory Shop, which sells products including clothing and homeware, appointed administrators from Interpath Advisory last month.

The retailer operates 137 shops offering clothing, homewares, beauty products, toys, and seasonal items. While all physical stores will continue trading as a going concern during the assessment of options. The retailer has now shut down its online operations as its future remains up in the air.

Interpath highlighted that high cost inflation, weak consumer confidence, and logistical issues with a third-party warehouse significantly affected sales. 

The Original Factory Shop’s troubles have been driven by challenging trading conditions, linked to high cost inflation, fragile consumer confidence and rising labour costs caused by government policies, according to administrators. 

Problems were then said to have been exacerbated by issues linked to its third-party warehouse and logistics operator, weakening sales further.

Rick Harrison, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said: “The Original Factory Shop has long-been a cornerstone of local high streets up and down the country.

“Unfortunately, however, trading challenges have impacted the business such that the company had to be placed into administration.

“Over the coming weeks, we will be working closely with TOFS dedicated team of employees as we endeavour to operate all stores as a going concern while we assess options for the business.”

Administrators Interpath said the chain’s 40 stores across the UK and seven concessions in Ireland will continue to trade while they look at options for the firm but its website will shut.

They said 109 redundancies are being made across the firm’s head office in Glasgow and its warehouse and distribution centre in Bellshill, Lanarkshire.

Interpath confirmed that Quiz concessions in New Look and Matalan stores in the UK are not included in the administration and remain unaffected.

Quiz employs 565 workers in total.

A discount furniture retailer, established in 1967, has entered administration, putting nearly 1,200 jobs at risk. The Original Factory Shop, which sells products including clothing and homeware, appointed administrators from Interpath Advisory last month.

The retailer operates 137 shops offering clothing, homewares, beauty products, toys, and seasonal items. While all physical stores will continue trading as a going concern during the assessment of options. The retailer has now shut down its online operations as its future remains up in the air.

Interpath highlighted that high cost inflation, weak consumer confidence, and logistical issues with a third-party warehouse significantly affected sales. 

The Original Factory Shop’s troubles have been driven by challenging trading conditions, linked to high cost inflation, fragile consumer confidence and rising labour costs caused by government policies, according to administrators. 

Problems were then said to have been exacerbated by issues linked to its third-party warehouse and logistics operator, weakening sales further.

Rick Harrison, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, said: “The Original Factory Shop has long-been a cornerstone of local high streets up and down the country.

“Unfortunately, however, trading challenges have impacted the business such that the company had to be placed into administration.

“Over the coming weeks, we will be working closely with TOFS dedicated team of employees as we endeavour to operate all stores as a going concern while we assess options for the business.”

Administrators Interpath said the chain’s 40 stores across the UK and seven concessions in Ireland will continue to trade while they look at options for the firm but its website will shut.

They said 109 redundancies are being made across the firm’s head office in Glasgow and its warehouse and distribution centre in Bellshill, Lanarkshire.

Interpath confirmed that Quiz concessions in New Look and Matalan stores in the UK are not included in the administration and remain unaffected.

Quiz employs 565 workers in total.

Administrative tasks that could be automated through AI are draining over £100 billion annually from UK businesses in wasted employee hours. Research involving 2,000 UK adults revealed office workers handling administrative duties – from composing emails to minute-taking and report preparation – reckon they waste approximately five hours and forty-two minutes weekly on manual routine work.

With the average office worker salary amongst respondents sitting at £56,000, this translates to £387 million lost productivity each working day. The research revealed drafting emails is the single biggest drain on time, cited by 26% of workers. This was followed by analysing data (15%) and manually entering information (14%). 

As a result, 57% feel overwhelmed by the amount of admin required in their role, with 46% admitting it has made them consider leaving their job.

Despite the growing availability of automation, 47% have some help from AI tools but could do with more, while 32% rarely or never use any tools to support their role.

The study was commissioned by Fyxer for its Admin Burden Index, which explores the productivity cost of routine tasks and how this hidden drain could stunt business growth.

Rich Hollingsworth, CEO and co-founder of Fyxer, said: “Admin has quietly embedded itself into modern work. An extra 10 minutes here, an hour there, spread across hundreds or thousands of employees, quickly compounds into massive costs.”

He added: “Workers feel the drag, but without any way to solve it, businesses have normalised it as just ‘part of the job’. AI is ready and able to lift this burden, and workers are eager to accept the help. But they’re not seeing the tools they’re given actually rise to the challenge.”

The study also found 33% of those overwhelmed by daily administrative work say tasks accumulate faster than they can finish them. Meanwhile, 32% feel admin steals time from their primary duties.

More than half say their workload has grown over the past 12 months, and of those, they estimate more than a quarter (28%) of this rise is administration related. Consequently, 34% reported working beyond their contracted hours several times weekly, with 8% doing so daily.

The research, conducted by OnePoll, also revealed workers receive an average of 43 emails daily and send 34 in return. Additional data from Fyxer’s platform also shows 40% of email activity occurs outside of working hours. 

Rich added: “Menial, repetitive admin might seem low stakes, but it’s a major source of stress for even the highest-paid, most senior talent. Saddling workers with tasks that add little value kills focus, morale, and revenue.

“Email epitomises this for so many: they’re expected to accept hours in their inboxes because it’s the status quo, while they scramble to do their real, meaningful work in the time they have left.”

TOP 10 ADMIN TASKS WHICH WASTE THE MOST TIME:

1. Writing or replying to emails
2. Reading emails
3. Analysing or summarising data
4. Entering or updating data in spreadsheets or systems
5. Researching information online
6. Preparing reports
7. Organising files/documents
8. Responding to customer queries
9. Tracking project progress or deadlines
10. Managing to-do lists or task reminders

A UK care home business has plunged into administration. The company has reportedly ceased trading after administrators were appointed on Friday (January 30).

LNC Property Developments, based in Chesterfield, specialised in the development of new care homes across the UK. The business employed 15 people and provided a number of services, including programme management and sector-specific expertise. The company, which was announced as the front-of-shirt sponsor for Mansfield Town’s third kit for the current 2025/26 season, has now stopped trading.

As reported by The Business Desk, Raj Mittal and Benjamin Jones of FRP Advisory have been appointed as joint administrators of LNC Property Developments.

A statement on its website reads: “Raj Mittal and Benjamin Jones of FRP Advisory Trading Limited were appointed as Joint Administrators of LNC Property Development Limited on January 30, 2026, and the company has ceased trading. The Administrators can be contacted on: cp.birmingham@frpadvisory.com.” 

It follows reports that 19 businesses fell into administration across the UK in January. A number of employees face losing their jobs as businesses continue to grapple with rising costs, inadequate consumer spending and mounting debt pressures.

The businesses include Claire’s, The Original Factory Shop, Versarien plc, P&B Metal Components Ltd, Consumer Energy Solutions (CES), Planova Leeds Ltd, G.Network, TGI Fridays, Thomas Storey Fabrications Group, CW Sellors (Jewellers) Ltd, Cheshire East Scaffolding Ltd and Caldwell Construction. Meanwhile, Logic Investments Ltd, Moores Furniture Group, Russell & Bromley, Slingsby Gin (Spirit of Harrogate Ltd), Malin + Goetz (UK), FK Group (Facade & Construction) and CF Booth also plunged into administration last month.

According to law firm Shakespeare Martineau, a total og 1,631 UK businesses filed for administration in 2025. The data was published on January 9.

FRP have been contacted for comment.

An iconic British shoe brand has confirmed a double administration. Russell & Bromley announced the appointment of administrators for Russell & Bromley Ltd as well as Russell and Bromley Online Ltd on Thursday. William James Wright and Christopher Robert Pole were given the job of steadying the ship on January 21, according to the listings in the London Gazette. 

Russell & Bromley Online is described as “other retail sale not in stores, stalls or markets”, with the main limited firm “retail sale of footwear in specialised stores”. It comes after the family-owned company was said to be at a “pivotal crossroads” amid a split. Some members of the founding Bromley family were advocating for the sale of the company to Auralis, which has proposed a deal that would protect 450 jobs and 37 shops, as well as the firm’s distribution centre, it was reported. Others, however, wanted to see a sale to Next and stock clearance specialist Retail Realisation, it was thought.

This would close all shops and put most jobs at risk, it was believed.

Now, it has been confirmed that Next has bought the company for £2.5million.

Administrator Interpath said it was considering the future of Russell & Bromley stores, as well as nine concession stores.

The family company’s chief executive, Andrew Bromley, said it was a “difficult decision”, but the sale of the shoe brand was the best way to secure its future, the BBC reported.

In a statement, Next said it “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”.

Three of Russell & Bromley’s stores are located in the premium locations of Chelsea, Mayfair and Kent.

It is understood that the rescue deal will see Next own the Russell & Bromley brand and three of its 36 stores, along with some existing stock worth an additional £1.3million.

A beauty brand popular amongst UK shoppers has shut all of its British stores and paused its online sales in the UK. The company said it had exhausted all viable options, but in the end, it had no choice but to go into administration. The move will reportedly lead to redundancies. Malin + Goetz has seven UK stores, all in London. They are found in Islington, Canary Wharf, Soho, Battersea, Seven Dials, Spitalfields and Borough Yards. 

Its products are also sold through third-party retailers such as Liberty, John Lewis and Space NK. The brand specialises in skincare products, haircare, candles and fragrances. It was founded in the Chelsea neighbourhood of New York City in 2004 by founders Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz. A short maintenance period will mean online UK sales will pause while the company shifts e-commerce operations to its US team. 

A spokesperson told TheIndustry.beauty: “Following an extensive review of the business and after exhausting all viable alternatives, we have taken the difficult but necessary decision to put our UK business into administration, resulting in the closure of all UK stores that we operate and our head office.

“We recognise the impact this will have on our colleagues and customers, and the loss of jobs is deeply regrettable, but unavoidable under the circumstances.”

They added: “This structural change will allow the business to focus on our e-commerce and third-party retail channels where our customers increasingly choose to shop, while enabling us to operate more efficiently, and better serve customers in the long term.”

A new partnership with distributor Discovered Brands means that customers can continue to get Malin Goetz products through third-party retailers in the UK. 

Among the brand’s best-sellers are its travel skincare kit, its advanced renewal moisturiser, its Vitamin E face moisturiser and its all-purpose moisture balm. 

Moores Furniture Group, a Wetherby-based company that has been supplying kitchens to housebuilders, the public sector, and affordable housing developers since 1947, has fallen into administration, citing “challenging trading conditions” as the primary reason for its downfall.

The firm, which employed more than 450 people, has appointed James Clark and Will Wright from Interpath as joint administrators. The administrators confirmed that they had sold the company’s customer list and certain other intellectual property assets to Wren Trade Kitchens Limited, a subsidiary of Wren Kitchens Ltd.

While 336 staff members have been retained to support the completion of some work, the administrators have made the difficult decision to make 124 employees redundant. They have pledged to provide support to those affected, including assistance with making claims from the Redundancy Payments Service.

Construction industry headwinds impact supply chain

Clark explained that the strong headwinds facing the UK construction industry continue to have a significant impact on companies throughout the supply chain.

Despite Moores Furniture Group’s efforts to cut costs and make “strong progress,” the company struggled with “challenging trading conditions” due to rising costs and low levels of housebuilding activity.

The firm had explored options for further investment or the sale of the company, but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, according to Clark.

However, he noted that the sale of intellectual property to Wren Kitchens “provides an opportunity to minimise disruption for customers and suppliers, and which will enable Moores’ heritage in kitchen manufacturing to continue as part of the Wren family.”

Glimmer of hope

Wren Kitchens Ltd expressed its regret that Moores had entered into administration, stating, “Whilst the company was a competitor of ours, we believe it is in everyone’s interests to have a strong kitchen industry based here in the UK.”

Although Wren Kitchens had been in talks with Moores, they were unable to save the business. However, they have agreed to an exclusive option to provide affected customers with the ability to seamlessly transfer outstanding contracts to Wren Kitchens.

Wren Kitchens also revealed that their contract division had recently announced plans for a sales office in Harrogate. They have agreed with the administrator to explore opportunities “to provide alternative employment to a significant number of Moores sales, operations and internal support teams,” offering a glimmer of hope for those affected by the administration.

Telford & Wrekin Council said it is “committed to supporting residents and businesses affected by difficult circumstances, including those impacted by the immediate closure of TGI Fridays at Telford Centre”. It added: “For employees now facing redundancy, a range of practical support is available to help them take the next step towards new employment, training or reskilling opportunities.” The council said residents looking for a new role can get free help including CV advice and guidance on job opportunities.

Council cabinet member Councillor Shirley Reynolds said: “We know this is an incredibly difficult time for the employees and families affected by the sudden closure of TGI Friday’s. 

“Our priority is to ensure people know that support is available right now. 

“Whether it’s help updating your CV, accessing new training, or connecting with local employers, our teams are here to provide one‑to‑one support to help residents move forward with confidence.”

More than 450 TGI Fridays staff members were made redundant earlier this week after outlets across England and Wales were closed.

The American-style dining chain on Wednesday said most of its sites will remain open after a rescue deal was secured.

Liberty Bar and Restaurant Group, the company that runs TGI Fridays’ UK restaurants, appointed administrators from Interpath Advisory on Tuesday.

They immediately sold the business and its assets to a subsidiary of Sugarloaf, the firm behind the global TGI Friday brand.

Sugarloaf had bought the UK business two months earlier from private equity firm Calveton UK and Breal Capital.

Administrators confirmed the pre-pack administration deal would safeguard 33 restaurants and transfer 1,384 workers to the new vehicle.

“We have been working closely to explore all available options for securing the long-term future of TGI Fridays in the UK, and believe that this is the best outcome for the business, preserves jobs, and offers a strong platform for success and growth,” said Phil Broad, global president of TGI Fridays.

This week, the UK Hospitality trade body warned more than 2,000 pubs, restaurants and hotels could shut their doors this year unless the Government makes sector-wide changes to “staggering” incoming business rate increases.