“We have done everything”: Oasis and Warehouse fall into administration

Earlier this week it was announced that The Oasis and Warehouse Group were on the brink of collapse as yet more high street retailers fall victim to the economic implications of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has since been confirmed that both retailers have entered into administration, with more than 200 staff members losing their jobs with immediate effect. According to Sky News, Rob Harding, joint administrator at Deloitte, expressed regret in a statement on behalf of the group. "Despite management's best efforts over recent weeks, and significant interest from potential buyers, it has not been possible to save the business in its current form. The group employed over 2,000 people in total in the UK at the time of the appointment and today's announcement will result in 202 redundancies." It has been established that a further 1,801 employees will be furloughed across head office, stores and concessions. Meanwhile, the High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to the store's Irish branches and concessions, which employed 248 people. Commenting on the situation, Head of The Oasis and Warehouse Group, Hashim Ladha, expressed disbelief over the circumstances, saying: "This is a situation that none of us could have predicted a month ago, and comes as shocking and difficult news for all of us." "We as a management team have done everything we can to try and save the iconic brands that we love." According to the BBC, it is understood that the brands will continue to be sold online for a short period of time as administrators seek to sell the brands.