UK fashion chain to close website in days as stores stay open for 'limited time' - 22 shops at risk

Temie Laleye
Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:30:46 +0000

LK Bennett is shutting down its website within the coming days, offering shoppers unprecedented reductions of up to 90 per cent on online purchases.

The upmarket British fashion retailer, which fell into administration earlier this year, announced what it described as its "biggest offer ever" via Instagram.

Physical stores will continue trading for a 'limited time' only with minimum discounts of 70 per cent on all items.

The company urged customers to act quickly, stating: "It's your final few days to shop the LKB website before it closes."

LK Bennett announced on Instagram that it will be closing down its website in the next few days, urging customers to take advantage of its "biggest offer ever" with up to 90 per cent off online items.

It added that customers would still be able to shop in-store for "a limited time".

Dresses, tailoring, footwear and accessories are all included in the clearance sale across both online and in-store channels.

The luxury brand filed its intention to appoint administrators in January after efforts to secure a buyer proved unsuccessful, with NEXT reportedly among potential suitors.

US investment firm Gordon Brothers subsequently acquired LK Bennett, though the deal encompassed only the brand name and intellectual property rather than its physical retail presence.

The company's nine standalone shops and 13 concession outlets remained under administration control, placing approximately 89 positions in jeopardy.

Gordon Brothers has indicated plans to shift LK Bennett towards an asset-light business model, mirroring its approach with Laura Ashley, which the firm previously owned and successfully expanded internationally.

Linda Bennett established the brand in the 1990s, opening her first boutique in Wimbledon before expanding into a nationally recognised name.

The label became renowned for its limited-edition ready-to-wear collections alongside signature footwear, handbags and accessories.

LK Bennett gained particular prominence as a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, cementing its status among upmarket British fashion houses.

Prior to entering administration, the company employed around 280 members of staff across its retail operations.

The brand's trajectory from a single south-west London shop to a household name made its financial difficulties all the more notable within the British fashion industry.

Concession outlets at risk span both the UK and Ireland, including Arnotts and Brown Thomas in Dublin, De Gruchy in Jersey, and the Bentall Centre in Kingston upon Thames.

The full list of LK Bennett stores at risk of closing is:

Stand-alone stores

Lower Guildhall Mall (Bluewater)

Canary Wharf (London)

Eastgate Square Shopping Centre (Chester)

Duke of York Square (London)

Harrogate

Knightsbridge (London)

New Bond Street (London)

Richmond

White City Westfield (London)

Concession stores

Arnotts (Dublin)

The Bentall Centre (Kingston upon Thames)

Brown Thomas (Dublin)

De Gruchy (Jersey)

Hoopers (Tunbridge Wells)

Hoopers (Wilmslow)

Jarrold (Norwich)

John Lewis (Edinburgh)

John Lewis (High Wycombe)

John Lewis - Oxford Street (London)

John Lewis (Manchester)

John Lewis (Oxford)

John Lewis (Cheadle)