Peterborough retailer Yours Clothing snaps up Scottish clothing chain M&Co brand

The Peterborough owner of Yours Clothing has stepped in to rescue the brand of the ailing fashion chain M&Co.​

A K Retail, which owns Yours Clothing, BadRhino, Long Tall Sally and Pixiegirl, has bought the brand of the famous Scottish clothing business for an undisclosed sum.

The move comes eight weeks after M&Co collapsed into administration after being unable to cope with soaring costs.

AK Retail, which is owned by Peterborough businessman Andrew Killingsworth, and based in Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, where it employs about 1,000 staff, has just finalised the deal that comes after several years of turmoil for the 189-year-old M&Co.

M&Co first went into administration in 2020 but was bought back by its Scottish owners the McGeoch family before collapsing again late last year.

M&Co was founded in 1834 and became Mackays Stores in 1953 before being rebranded as M&Co in 2005.

Announcing the purchase of the M&Co brand from the administrators, Mr Killingsworth, chief executive of AK Retail, said: “I am delighted that this longstanding brand would be kept alive.”

The purchase is the latest expansion for AK Retail, which two years ago snapped up the women’s speciality retailer Long Tall Sally in a move that created 30 jobs.

Last May, AK Retail also bought an online clothing store PixieGirl.

And in the summer, Mr Killingsworth vowed not to raise prices during the autumn and winter in a bid to help ease the cost of living crisis for customers.

It came as AK Retail reported sales up 72 per cent and gross profit up 81 per cent over the financial year 2021/22 with this year sales up 56 per cent and gross profit is up 60 per cent.

The company also extended its factory premises last summer, in what was described as a ‘significant investment’, when it bought the neighbouring 128,567 square feet Orton 130 warehouse in Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, which was previously used by Perkins Engines.

At the time, Mr Killingsworth said the purchase would allow for further expansion to meet the growing needs of the business.