Retail giant BHS is back in the sales market with new online website
FORMER High Street retail giant BHS will today relaunch online a month after the last of its high street shops shut down with the loss of 11,000 jobs.
The business went into administration in April and the company was wound down when a buyer could not be found.
Now BHS International, formed by the Al Mana Group, is relaunching the “iconic” brand, allowing shoppers to make purchases on a new website.
From today, BHS.com will sell a range of lighting, bedroom and bathroom products.
The company said all launch suppliers were based in the UK, and 84 employees were based primarily in London.
It has also partnered with Ascenos, a call centre firm with a team based in Motherwell.
Kitchen, dining and clothing ranges are set to go on sale next month.
BHS said the launch products made up around three-quarters of the most popular online items sold by the retailer before it went into administration.
BHS International managing director David Anderson said: “A huge amount of work has gone into rebuilding and launching BHS in the UK as an online retailer.
“With a loyal British customer base of well over one million people and the fact we have secured contracts with so many leading suppliers who are providing products that were among the most popular with our shoppers, we are in the best possible position for launch.”
The collapse of BHS affected 11,000 jobs, 22,000 pensions, and sparked a lengthy parliamentary inquiry.
Retail billionaire Sir Philip Green has borne the brunt of the public fall-out, having been branded the “the unacceptable face of capitalism” by MPs.
He owned BHS for 15 years before selling it to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell for £1 in 2015. Sir Philip has come under fire for taking more than £400 million in dividends from the chain, leaving it with a £571m pension deficit and for selling it to a man with no retail experience.
BHS International has stressed the online retailer has no links with Sir Philip or Mr Chappell.
The decision to close followed a lengthy bidding process aimed at saving BHS.
But none of the offers were judged acceptable by administrators Duff & Phelps, which blamed “seismic shifts” in the retail sector for its collapse.
Bidders for the chain included a consortium led by Matalan founder John Hargreaves, as well as separate offers from Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley and Poundstretcher boss Aziz Tayub.
Two parliamentary committees are currently trying to ascertain what led to the retailer’s collapse.