Wards Group celebrate healthy trade one year after the firm's near-collapse

Wards Group clothing company, on Devonshire Road, was saved last September after directors Nicki Lee and Ben Field bought out the Bexhill branch of JB Ward and Company Ltd after it went into administration.

A year on, Ben said the business was meeting expectations, and even exceeding them.

"It's a difficult trading time, of course, and you are never quite sure what will happen when a business has been that close to closing, but we're certainly very pleased with the way things are going," he said.

Greg Barker, MP for Bexhill and Battle, was on hand to celebrate the milestone. He said: "I was delighted to see that one year on after taking a big gamble at the height of the recession, Wards is not only still in business but is going from strength to strength.

"It really was a big risk the owners took and all credit to them that the business is growing and offering an even better service to Bexhill."

ABOVE: Greg Barker MP in the Devonshire Road store