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Harrogate health and beauty shop at risk of closure

Wednesday, 3 September 2025 14:28

Bodycare on Cambridge Street in Harrogate.

A well-known health and beauty retailer, with a store in Harrogate, is facing an uncertain future.

Bodycare, which began in Lancashire more than 50 years ago, is understood to be in urgent talks to find a buyer.

Without one, the company could be placed into administration in the coming days.

The chain, which sells popular brands including L’Oréal, Nivea and Elizabeth Arden, employs around 1,500 people across the UK.

Shoppers in Harrogate and beyond have long relied on Bodycare as a source of affordable everyday beauty products.

The business, now owned by Baaj Capital, has been working with advisors at Interpath as it explores options to secure its future.

Retail veteran Tony Brown, who previously held senior positions at BHS and Beales, is currently leading the company.

Harrogate could be set to lose another town centre shop. (Image: Prideview)

Bodycare has faced mounting financial challenges since the pandemic, with losses deepening despite a temporary £7 million debt facility.

Rising costs, inflation and shifts in shopping habits have added further strain, alongside industry concerns about recent government tax increases.

The chain was founded in 1970 by Graham and Margaret Blackledge as a market stall in Skelmersdale before expanding onto high streets nationwide.

News of its difficulties follows similar struggles for other retailers, including River Island, which only recently avoided administration through restructuring.

If a buyer is not found, Bodycare’s Harrogate store and others across the country could soon close their doors.

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