Ted Baker’s Final Curtain Call as the Iconic Brand Shuts UK Stores This Week

In a bittersweet farewell, the iconic British fashion brand Ted Baker is closing its remaining 31 stores across the UK and the Republic of Ireland this week, marking the end of an era for the brand and putting over 500 jobs at risk. By the end of Tuesday, these once-bustling stores will have shut their doors for the final time, leaving a void in the high streets they once adorned.

The closures come in the wake of the financial collapse of No Ordinary Designer Label (NODL), the firm responsible for running Ted Baker’s UK operations. Falling into administration back in March, NODL has since struggled to stay afloat, with 15 stores already closed in April and 245 jobs lost. This latest wave of closures will affect 513 employees across the UK and another 78 in Ireland, marking a sombre chapter in the brand’s storied history.

Ted Baker’s rise and fall is a tale of both triumph and tragedy. Founded as a menswear brand in Glasgow in 1988, it quickly became synonymous with modern British style, expanding its reach across the UK and beyond. At its peak, Ted Baker boasted stores in major cities worldwide, from New York to Dubai. However, recent years have seen the brand falter, plagued by internal turmoil and external pressures. The resignation of its founder Ray Kelvin in 2019, amidst allegations of misconduct (which he denied), signalled the beginning of a downward spiral. His departure was followed by a series of leadership changes and profit warnings, eroding confidence in the brand.

Retail experts have likened Ted Baker’s decline to a “long-running corporate car crash,” as described by Shore Capital’s Clive Black, who lamented the brand’s downfall as a “great shame.” The company, once a beacon of British fashion, never fully recovered from the turmoil, with retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth noting that a “lack of investment combined with disappointing sales” ultimately led customers to look elsewhere, making Ted Baker’s continued survival increasingly untenable.

The stores slated for closure span from London’s Regent Street to Manchester’s Shambles, touching every corner of the UK and Ireland. Major shopping destinations like Bluewater in Kent, Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, and Heathrow Airport’s various terminals will all bid farewell to the brand. Meanwhile, Ted Baker’s licensing agreements for stores in Asia and the Middle East remain unaffected, offering a glimmer of continuity amidst the closures.

The brand’s intellectual property is now owned by US-based Authentic Brands Group, which acquired it during NODL’s struggles. While there were hopes of reviving the brand through new UK and European partnerships, recent reports suggest that talks have stalled, leaving the future of Ted Baker in its homeland uncertain.

For many, Ted Baker’s departure from the high street will be felt deeply. Its distinct style and British flair once made it a favourite among shoppers, and its absence will leave a noticeable gap in the fashion landscape. As the stores close, the brand’s UK retail website has already bid its customers “Goodbye for now,” with a final 14-day window for returns and a message that it is “not taking orders right now.”

For more information on the broader impacts of retail closures on the UK economy, you can explore insights from the British Retail Consortium, and for advice on how employees can navigate job losses, visit Acas.