Why popular shoe chain’s future is unclear despite Next’s intervention

Business & FinanceLifestyle
21 Jan 2026 • 11:39 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Retail giant Next has acquired luxury footwear brand Russell & Bromley through a pre-pack insolvency agreement.
  • Next paid £2.5 million for the brand and its intellectual property, alongside an additional £1.3 million for a portion of its existing stock.
  • Russell & Bromley, established in 1879, currently operates 36 stores and nine concessions across the UK and Ireland, employing approximately 440 staff.
  • Next intends to retain only three prime Russell & Bromley store locations: Chelsea, Mayfair, and the Bluewater Shopping Centre.
  • Administrators, Interpath, are actively exploring options for the remaining stores and concessions, which will continue to trade in the interim.

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