Two historic businesses, Quiz Clothing and Routledges the Bakers, have collapsed into administration, highlighting severe challenges facing the retail sector. Quiz Clothing, which has been operating for 33 years, owes £40 million. Routledges the Bakers, a staple for nearly 109 years, cited rising costs as a key reason for its closure.
As of early Tuesday, Quiz Clothing’s administrators are Interpath. The company has 40 stores across the UK and seven concessions in Ireland, employing 565 staff members. Within hours of entering administration, 109 redundancies occurred at its head office and distribution center.
Routledges the Bakers faced a financial shortfall of nearly £779,000 before its closure. All branches across Carlisle closed immediately after going into liquidation.
Routledges has now closed for good after 109 years. The company reported an £80,000 increase in operational costs compared to 2025. This situation underscores the ongoing crisis in the retail industry.
The impact of these closures affects not only employees but also local economies dependent on these businesses. Industry experts warn that many more retailers could face similar fates if conditions do not improve.
We presently anticipate the administration trading period could last until mid-May 2026. The next steps for both companies remain uncertain as stakeholders assess their options moving forward.