Cheadle Carpetright store among the 54 saved from closure

Flooring retailer, Carpetright, has sold 54 of its stores, including its Cheadle branch, after appointing administrators on 22nd July, with Tapi Carpets and Floors Limited also purchasing the brand and two logistics depots.

Carpetright’s Cheadle location on Councillor Lane is the only Greater Manchester store to have been purchased in the deal, with workers there among the more than 300 to have avoided losing the jobs. Sadly, with the vast majority of Carpetright locations not deemed viable, including the Hazel Grove store, almost 1,600 workers across the UK have been made redundant.

Headquartered in Essex and founded in 1988, Carpetright, a subsidiary of Nestware Holdings Ltd, has 273 stores and 1,898 employees. The Company has been hit by challenging trading conditions, predominantly due to changing consumer preferences and a drop in home improvement spending post-pandemic. The business was also impacted by a cyber attack in April 2024, which had left it unable to trade for a period of time, and appointed PwC as joint administrators on 22nd July 2024.

On appointment, the Joint Administrators completed a sale of 54 stores and two logistics hubs to CWHP Ltd., part of the Tapi Group, which purchased sites that enable the Tapi brand to expand to areas it currently does not reach. In an update on the Carpetright website, the brand expressed its regret “saving the entire business was unviable.”

The administrators are working closely with the Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) to ensure that those affected by store closures receive their statutory entitlements as soon as possible. Tapi Group is also assisting affected Carpetright employees, by collaborating with other retailers to ensure their job applications receive priority and funding workshops aimed at improving employability skills.

Zelf Hussain, Joint Administrator for PwC, said:

“Carpetright has fallen victim to challenges facing many retailers, especially those selling big ticket items. A mixture of factors, including a big reduction in consumer spending due to cost of living pressures, lower home sales and a debilitating cyber attack made it impossible for the business to continue in its current form.

“The sale of some stores and the brand to Tapi has allowed over 300 jobs to be saved, and gives the Carpetright brand the chance to continue and flourish under its new ownership.

“However, it is deeply saddening that for the remainder of the workforce there will be redundancies. We are committed to helping those affected and will make sure redundancy claims are processed as quickly as possible. In collaboration with Tapi, we will assist in efforts to help individuals find new jobs elsewhere. 

“We know this is an uncertain time for many of those affected and want to thank all the staff for the support they have given the company in these difficult circumstances.”