Local stores saved after Ellie Louise sale

A NUMBER of Ellie Louise stores in the West Midlands have been sold out of administration.

Joint administrators Graham Wild, Simon Wilson and Anne O’Keefe of Zolfo Cooper have continued to trade the women’s clothing business and have now successfully secured a sale of its remaining 57 stores – trading under the Ellie Louise, Happit or Trade Secret brands – and its online business to Liric Limited.

Wild said: “We are extremely pleased to have secured the sale of Ellie Louise to Liric Limited, preserving 270 jobs. We wish the company and its new owners all the best for the future.”

Local stores transferred to Liric include Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, Leominster, Rugeley, Shirley, Tamworth, Wednesfield and Wellington.

Ellie Louise went into administration at the beginning of the month.The Yorkshire-headquartered company employed 439 people and had 97 UK stores including seven in the Birmingham area.

Administrators from Zolfo Cooper said Ellie Louise had suffered “cash flow problems arising from the current challenging fashion retail environment”.