Furniture chain Lombok emerges out of pre-pack administration

Lombok, the 19-store upmarket furniture retailer, has been bought out of pre-pack administration by a private equity-backed consortium after it became the latest furniture chain to collapse. - 30/07/2009, Business News

Administrators sell Sofa Workshop to founder

Sofa Workshop, the retailer of bespoke sofas that collapsed into administration last week, has been sold to a consortium backed by one of its founders. Part of the business, with a turnover of £30m including 10 stores, has been sold to Erewash Upholstery, controlled by a consortium of investors led by Andrew Cussins, who founded Sofa Wor...- 30/01/2009, Business News

Sofa Workshop goes into administration

A sofa manufacturer which employs 170 people across 30 UK stores has gone into administration after seeing order numbers plunge, it was confirmed today. The Sofa Workshop Limited specialises in bespoke, handmade sofas but has been struggling to fill its order books in the current housing market downturn, administrators Leonard Curtis said. It wa...- 23/01/2009, Business News

Land of Leather is latest victim of credit crisis

Land of Leather, the 109-store furniture specialist, yesterday became the latest retailer to fall victim to the retail crisis after a dire start to the new year sales, as data revealed that the industry endured its worst December since the early 1990s.- 13/01/2009, Business News

Hit & Run: Dave's domestic policy

The economy, Gaza, Harry's gaffe, his reshuffle plans – David Cameron covered all bases as he and Andrew Marr chatted by the fireside on BBC1 on Sunday morning. But for those still too bleary-eyed to concentrate on the content, a casual look at the Tory leader's surroundings proved just as revealing. First, there was the contrast with Gordon Brown's i...- 13/01/2009, Hit & Run

Land of Leather shares suspended

There were fears for the future of furniture retailer Land of Leather today after the firm suspended its shares. The Kent-based firm said it had requested the move "pending clarification of the company's financial position". Last week rival chain Sofa Workshop said it had begun moves to appoint administrators as sales of big-ticket ...- 12/01/2009, Business News

Sofa Workshop in last-ditch talks as high street suffers

Sofa Workshop, the 31-store furniture retailer, is on the brink of administration, capping another bad day for the retail sector yesterday after a profits warning from the quirky fashion chain Ted Baker.- 09/01/2009, Business News

Brown goes from boom to bust

The business world is losing confidence in Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling amid growing evidence that the recession will last much longer than the Treasury predicted only six weeks ago. A ComRes poll of leading businessmen for The Independent shows that trust in the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, which rose after the Government rescued Britai- 09/01/2009, UK Politics

Exclusive: Sofa Workshop on brink of administration

Sofa Workshop, the 31 store furniture specialist, is on the brink of administration, becoming the latest retailer to hit a financial crunch as the carnage sweeping the high street accelerates. Paul Staden, the marketing director of Sofa Workshop, said: “Sofa Workshop has filed intent to appoint an administrator as a protective measure while...- 08/01/2009, Business News

2,000 retail stores in administration

Nearly 2,000 retail shops are now in administration, hammering home the scale of the carnage sweeping across the retail sector. Begbies Traynor, the insolvency and restructuring specialist, has revealed that 1,918 stores, including the Woolworths and MFI outlets, are now in the hands of administrators. As a result, about 40,000 retail jobs are no...- 07/01/2009, Business News

Sofas: replace, recover or reupholster?

There comes a point in every sofa's life when it starts to look a little tired and saggy, and you have to make the decision about whether to replace, recover or re-upholster it. On the one hand, there are lots of deals out there at the moment, but if you still like the design of the one you're sitting on, there's little point in extending your credit for In...- 10/12/2008, Interiors

It's on the House: MPs' second home grants

For parliamentarians eyeing the upper chamber and looking for a more luxurious abode, making the most of £23,000 is all about buying the best of British design and investing in pieces that add the touch of luxury which is so necessary after long nights in the debating chamber. For true British comfort, look no further than a George Smit...- 04/06/2008, Property

MFI sells 200 stores for £1 and reinvents itself as Galiform

MFI is paying up to £74m to get rid of its loss-making retail arm but the sum is less than investors feared and shares in the group, which is being reinvented as a builders' supplier, leapt 13 per cent. - 23/09/2006, Business News

MFI shares plummet as troubles continue at retail arm

MFI spooked investors hoping for clarity on the future of its struggling retail arm yesterday as it stressed there was "no quick fix" for its woes. Its shares slumped 20 per cent. - 21/07/2006, Business News

MFI receives offers to buy chain of furniture stores

Shares in Britain's largest furniture retailer, MFI, jumped yesterday after it said it had received several bid approaches for all or part of its 200-strong chain of stores. The shares closed nearly 8 per cent higher, up 18.75p, at 119p. - 20/05/2006, Business News