A mobility retailer in Bristol has collapsed into administration and has stopped trading with immediate effect. Middleton Mobility (Middletons), on Whitchurch Road in Bishopsworth, sold products including rise and recline chairs, adjustable beds, mobility scooters and wheelchairs.
The firm appointed Matthew Steven Roe and Richard Michael Hawes of business management consultancy Teneo Financial Advisory as joint administrators on January 16. The announcement was also published on public records site the Gazette.
The company has closed all 17 stores, resulting in 71 redundancies. Middletons said the affairs, business and property of the company is now being managed by the administrators. The company has said all customers with outstanding unfulfilled orders will be contacted in the next seven to 10 days.
Customers with questions regarding their order are being advised to email customers@middletons.co.uk quoting their order number or postcode.
Mr Roe said: “The company has been experiencing trading difficulties since expanding its store network prior to the impact of Covid-19. Trading has also been affected by the cost-of-living crisis, as well as supply chain disruption and despite management’s best efforts it has not been possible to save the business.”
Tom Powell, founder of Middleton’s, said: “I would like to sincerely apologise to all our staff, customers and suppliers impacted as a result of the company going into administration. Like many retailers we have experienced rises to input costs, difficult supply chains and at the same time falling consumer confidence.
"Middletons was unable to adapt quickly enough to these challenging trading conditions or to meet the additional financial demands placed upon it, and so it is also a very sad day personally that nearly 10 years after opening our first store we close the doors for the last time.”
The news comes as the number of South West companies entering administration continues to rise amid high inflation and economic uncertainty. Retailers, such as Middletons, have been particularly hard hit in the last 12 months. Dozens of well-known high street stores entered into an insolvency process in 2022.
Last week, the subsidiaries of a Bristol mortgage finance company that fell into administration in December were sold off in a pre-pack administration deal.
Garry Lee, chair of insolvency and restructuring trade body R3’s Southern and Thames Valley region, said: "Corporate insolvencies have increased compared to last year and three years ago due to an increase in creditor voluntary liquidation and compulsory liquidation numbers.
“This is due to a combination of directors choosing to close their businesses and creditors chasing unpaid debts following changes in legislation as both ends of the supply chain remain squeezed by ongoing issues around consumer confidence, rising costs, and requests for increased wages."
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