The Body Shop: These stores in Sussex have been saved - but one set to close

Some 2,000 jobs and 100 high street shops were put at risk after bosses at the Sussex-founded skincare company announced the business was going into administration on February 13.

The update followed news that FRP Advisory was brought in to help restructure the company just weeks after it had been bought out by new owners, for the third time since Littlehampton-born founder Anita Roddick sold the company in 2006.

The Body Shop announced on February 20 that stores ‘remain a part of future strategy’, with ‘more than half expected to stay operational’. However, nearly half were set to close.

In a major update today (Thursday, February 29), The Body Shop’s joint administrators confirmed which stores will remain open – and the ones that will close – as restructuring of the UK business progresses.

The stores remaining open in Sussex are: Chichester, Worthing, Crawley, Eastbourne and Brighton.

However, the Hastings shop is set to close.

A spokesperson for the administrators said: “116 stores across the country remain open [but] 75 stores will close in a phased period over the next four to six weeks

“This action will provide the best opportunity for a long-term sustainable future for the iconic brand.

"As previously indicated, a reduced store footprint will coincide with a renewed focus on the brand’s products, online sales channels and wholesale strategies, bringing the brand in line with industry peers and supporting a return to financial stability.”

Joint administrator Tony Wright said the UK business ‘continues to trade in administration’ so they ‘remain fully focused on exploring all options to take the business forward’.

He added: “In taking swift action to right-size The Body Shop UK store portfolio, we have stabilised the business and are providing the best opportunity for this iconic brand to have a long-term, sustainable future.”

As a result of the store closures, 489 staff will ‘regrettably be made redundant’ over the next four to six weeks.

The administrators said they will ‘support all impacted staff’ with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.

The changes announced only impact The Body Shop business in the UK. The Body Shop’s Global Head Franchise Partners in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and international wholesale partners ‘continue as a cornerstone of future success’.