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| BHS: A history of a High Street stalwart | BHS: A history of a High Street stalwart |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Department store BHS is to be wound down, meaning the end of the road for the 88-year-old retailer. All of its 163 stores will hold closing sales over the coming weeks. | |
| Here we look at the history of BHS from its establishment in Brixton, south London to its collapse on the High Street. | Here we look at the history of BHS from its establishment in Brixton, south London to its collapse on the High Street. |
| 1928: A group of American entrepreneurs set up British Home Stores. The first store is in Brixton and nothing in the store costs more than a shilling (5p) - double that of rival Woolworths' maximum price of sixpence | 1928: A group of American entrepreneurs set up British Home Stores. The first store is in Brixton and nothing in the store costs more than a shilling (5p) - double that of rival Woolworths' maximum price of sixpence |
| 1929: The store raises its maximum price to five shillings (25p) allowing it to sell home furnishings, including drapery | 1929: The store raises its maximum price to five shillings (25p) allowing it to sell home furnishings, including drapery |
| 1970: The firm expands steadily in the post-war era - by the beginning of the year it employs some 12,000 workers in 94 stores across the UK | 1970: The firm expands steadily in the post-war era - by the beginning of the year it employs some 12,000 workers in 94 stores across the UK |
| 1985: BHS begins to franchise its brand to stores around the world, to which it supplies products and support | 1985: BHS begins to franchise its brand to stores around the world, to which it supplies products and support |
| 1986: The store merges with designer Sir Terence Conran's Habitat and Mothercare to form Storehouse Plc, and the "British Home Stores" name is replaced with "BhS", then "Bhs" and eventually "BHS" | 1986: The store merges with designer Sir Terence Conran's Habitat and Mothercare to form Storehouse Plc, and the "British Home Stores" name is replaced with "BhS", then "Bhs" and eventually "BHS" |
| 2000: Retail billionaire Sir Philip Green buys BHS from Storehouse Plc for £200m | 2000: Retail billionaire Sir Philip Green buys BHS from Storehouse Plc for £200m |
| 2002: BHS becomes part of the Arcadia empire, controlled by Sir Philip, when he buys the clothing group and its Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton brands | 2002: BHS becomes part of the Arcadia empire, controlled by Sir Philip, when he buys the clothing group and its Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton brands |
| 2005: The store resurrects its "British Home Stores" branding, but it is losing ground to cheaper rivals like Primark | 2005: The store resurrects its "British Home Stores" branding, but it is losing ground to cheaper rivals like Primark |
| 2015: Sir Philip sells the loss-making BHS for £1 to Retail Acquisitions led by Dominic Chappell, writing off £215m of debts in the process | |
| 2016: Struggling with debts of more than £1.3bn, including a pensions deficit of £571m, BHS files for administration. Failure to find a buyer means it will be wound down, with the loss of up to 11,000 jobs |