Russel and Bromley: luxury British footwear brand 'saved' by Next - but Yorkshire stores may be closing down
The fashion retailer has secured the brand name, but most of its UK stores could be closing soon 🥿
- Next has bought luxury footwear brand Russell & Bromley from administration in a pre-pack deal
- Only three stores – Chelsea, Mayfair, and Bluewater – will remain open under Next
- The future of the remaining 36 stores and nine concessions across the UK and Ireland is uncertain
- Next’s purchase appears focused on the brand and intellectual property rather than its high street shops
- Customers may see store closures, online-focused sales, or clearance events on premium footwear
A luxury British footwear brand has been rescued from administration by a multinational fashion retailer - but will its familiar high street shops survive?
Administrators have confirmed that Next has acquired the Russell & Bromley brand and certain assets in a pre-pack insolvency deal. While that secures the future of the name itself, it does not guarantee the survival of most of its physical stores.
Russell & Bromley currently operates 36 stores and nine concessions across the UK and Ireland, employing around 440 people. It has three Yorkshire stores in Harrogate, Leeds, and York.
But under the terms of the deal, Next will only keep three of its flagship locations open: Chelsea, Mayfair and the Bluewater Shopping Centre.
Russell & Bromley’s remaining stores and concessions are continuing to trade for now, while administrators at Interpath explore options for their future.
For shoppers, this distinction is important. When a retailer is bought primarily for its brand rather than its shops, it often signals a shift away from the high street and towards online sales or concession-based models.
That can mean store closures and, in the short term, potential clearance sales as remaining stock is sold off.
Earlier this month, Next was reported to be working alongside stock clearance specialist Retail Realisation, a partnership that fuelled speculation that its interest lay mainly in Russell & Bromley’s name, reputation and customer base rather than its full store estate.
Industry insiders suggest that this approach allows Next to avoid taking on high rents and staffing costs, while still benefiting from the loyalty attached to a well-known premium brand.
Will Russell & Bromley stores close?
At this stage, only three stores are guaranteed to remain open under Next’s ownership. While administrators are still assessing the future of the rest, the odds are stacked against a large-scale rescue of the existing estate.
Russell & Bromley’s shops are often in prime, and expensive, locations, which makes them less attractive in a retail landscape increasingly dominated by online shopping.
The following shops, which will continue to trade, were not included in the deal and are at risk:
- Bath, Somerset
- Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Birmingham, West Midlands
- Brent Cross, Greater London
- Brighton, East Sussex
- Brompton, Greater London
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- Canary Wharf, Greater London
- Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
- Chester, Cheshire
- Covent Garden, Greater London
- Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Exeter, Devon
- Glasgow, Glasgow City
- Guildford, Surrey
- Hampstead, Greater London
- Harrogate, North Yorkshire
- Jermyn Street, Greater London
- Leeds, West Yorkshire
- Manchester, Greater Manchester
- Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Paddington, Greater London
- Regent Street, Greater London
- Richmond, Greater London
- Stratford, Greater London
- Westfield White City, Greater London
- Winchester, Hampshire
- Outlet stores
- Ashford, Kent
- Cheshire Oaks, Cheshire
- Gunwharf Quays Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Swindon, Wiltshire
UK concessions
- Fenwicks Canterbury, Kent
- Fenwicks Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
- Fenwicks Kingston, Greater London
- Fenwicks Colchester, Essex
- Fenwicks Bracknell, Berkshire
- Fenwicks Tunbridge Wells, Kent
- Fenwicks York, North Yorkshire
Republic of Ireland stores and concessions
- Dublin Grafton Street, County Dublin
- Kildare, County Kildare
- Arnotts concession, Dublin, County Dublin
- Brown Thomas concession, Cork, County Cork
But even if most stores close, the brand itself is unlikely to disappear. Instead, Russell & Bromley could live on through Next’s website, selected concessions, or a smaller number of showcase stores.
This would mirror Next’s recent strategy with recent purchases of other struggling fashion names, where intellectual property and brand value matter more than bricks and mortar.