UK bed retailer Bensons for Beds has bought 19 of the 239 Carpetright stores put up for sale through CBRE late last month.
The retailer has acquired stores in Aberdeen, Ashton-under-Lyne, Belfast, Canterbury, Edmonton, Exeter, Irvine, Kettering, Old Kent Road, Oldbury, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Slough, Sutton, Torquay, Bath, Eastbourne, Gillingham and Solihull and plans to start trading from its first location within the next few weeks.
Chief executive Nick Collard said: “Increasing the number of Bensons stores remains a key growth priority, and we are excited about this opportunity to take on 19 store units. Today’s announcement supports our overall plan to expand our current 162-strong store estate to more than 200 over the next few years.”
He added: “While market conditions for higher-ticket purchases have remained very challenging, Bensons has continued to make real progress, by remaining focused on those things in our control.
“Since our return to profitability in 2023, we have continued to see significant market share gains across all of our core categories. This work, alongside the announcement today on the new stores, leaves us well placed when the wider market starts to recover, allowing us to realise the longer-term ambitions for Bensons and its colleagues.”
Carpetright collapsed into administration in July. Rival Tapi rescued 54 stores and two warehouses as part of a prepack deal, leaving more than 200 stores empty.
PwC is handling the administration.
Photo by Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures/Shutterstock (14595549g)
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