Mary Portas ‘surprised and sad’ at Headen & Quarmby insolvency
RETAIL guru Mary Portas says she is “surprised and sad” at the demise of Middleton underwear maker Headen & Quarmby.
The business, which she worked with on her Mary’s Bottom Line programme in 2014, went into administation last week.
Staff numbers at Headen & Quarmby have been cut back to a minimum as administrators BDO look to find a buyer for the maker of the Kinky Knickers brand, and other own-label products.
Writing on her Facebook page, Miss Portas said: “I’m really surprised to hear that Headen & Quarmby, the business that we licenced to manufacture the brand Kinky Knickers has gone into administration.
“I believe strongly in the team and their products, the stuff they make for us is made with passion and love for the product. I am enormously proud of everything they have achieved, their energy and vision.”
The retail campaigner added: “Right up until this announcement, H&Q were telling me of their ambitious plans for our brand and the others they manufacture under licence as well as plans they had for their own ranges. It’s especially sad as they were even opening an Academy later this month to help share the skills and learning.
“It’s so sad that the problems have been caused by cashflow shortfalls due to bad debts arising from some smaller retailers going bust over Christmas and a large retailer cancelling an order – this is of course the sad reality of retail and manufacturing in Britain today.”
Headen & Quarmby was founded in 1935 and, having brought manufacturing operations back to the North West from the Far East, was seen as a something of a trailblazer for hopes to revive the region’s textile sector.
As part of the Mary’s Bottom Line programme, Headen & Quarmby hired eight apprenctices as it re-opened its sewing room. At the time of the show it was the last of 11 once-thriving textile factories in Middleton.
