Ted Baker to shutter remaining stores, 500 jobs at risk

The remaining 31 Ted Baker stores will permanently shutter this week, putting more than 500 jobs at risk. According to Sky News, the closures come as talks over a licensing partnership between Frasers Group and Ted Baker’s owner, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), stalled. 

Ted Baker has already shuttered 15 stores across the UK, resulting in the loss of 245 jobs, after the business behind the brand, No Ordinary Label, collapsed into administration in March this year.  

Administrators to No Ordinary Designer Label are now overseeing the closure of its remaining 31 UK shops.

One store worker told Sky that they had been told that this Tuesday would be the final day of trading for the stores. The business still employs around 500 people in the UK. 

According to Sky, Frasers Group was reportedly discussing a deal with Authentic encompassing both Ted Baker and Reebok.

However, sources close to Authentic told Sky that there were no ongoing talks between the two sides, yet other sources suggested that a potential reopening of a small number of Ted Baker stores had been discussed as recently as the last few weeks.

Next was also reportedly mulling a deal, while OSL, Ted Baker’s previous US licensing partner, also expressed an interest initially, Sky reported. 

ABG acquired Ted Baker in 2022 in a £210m deal.

Following its acquisition, Ted Baker entered a brand licensing partnership with Dutch group AARC, which owned and operated Ted Baker’s retail stores and ecommerce platform in the UK and Europe, but this was abandoned in January 2024 due to a dispute. 

Since then ABG had been seeking a partner to run the brands business in the UK and Europe. 

Authentic and Frasers both declined to comment.