Fashion brand moves HQ to Leeds creating 40 jobs
CLOTHING brand Ben Sherman is moving to Leeds.
It was reported yesterday that licenses and premises for the high street brand had been bought by the Leeds-based BMB Group.
Now, BMB chief executive Mark Cotter has told TheBusinessDesk.com that the head office of Ben Sherman will be moved from London to Leeds as part of the deal.
They are planning on creating 40 jobs in the next six months with the move.
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The company has an existing relationship with Ben Sherman and their former US owners Marquee Group.
Now, Marquee have involved Ben Sherman in a pre-pack administration deal, and the Leeds firm couldn’t miss the opportunity.
The company have taken over seven high street stores, 15 concessions sites and 55 wholesale sites, as well as the licences for all clothing categories.
Chief executive of BMB Group, Mark Cotter, said: “It fits very well with our existing distribution channel – we’re a Leeds-based men’s retailer, and already operate 40 stores, 300 concessions and 800 wholesale accounts.
“Ben Sherman’s product categories and most channels match up with ours, it fits in quite neatly with the existing business.
“We were approached by the Americans from July last year, who were want to license the brand. We will create a Ben Sherman team in Leeds and move from existing third party warehouse facilities to our own in Yorkshire.
“The company will be based in Yorkshire, though it doesn’t matter where you are in the fashion industry now.
“There are a lot of synergies and we believe we can make it more efficient and profitable over the next 10-15 years.”
BMB is planning on increasing the number of Ben Sherman stores. It did not acquire three that are shutting down in Islington, Covent Garden and Portobello, from Marquee Brands, and has an exclusive licence for Ben Sherman which would prevent expansion by the US owners.
Mr Cotter finished: “Ben Sherman started life in Brighton, then moved to London and now it will move to Yorkshire, and get creative influences from all over the world.”
