The Body Shop set to shut almost half of stores in the UK
Seven branches - including one in Kent - will close today
The Body Shop is set to shut nearly half of its 198 UK shops after the cosmetics chain fell into administration last week.
It will also cut around 270 head office jobs as part of a heavy restructuring.
Administrators for the business said seven of its shops will shut their doors for good on Tuesday, including its one in Ashford town centre in Kent.
Others facing immediate closure are the branches in London's Surrey Quays, Oxford Street, Canary Wharf and Cheapside, and ones in Nuneaton and Bristol.
Administrators for FRP Advisory said in a statement:
"After years of unprofitability and following a full evaluation of The Body Shop's UK business, the joint administrators have concluded that the current store portfolio mix is no longer viable.
"This swift action will help re-energise The Body Shop's iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term."