Memories were made alongside the carbonara and chianti. But now it’s time to say ciao as the high street fixture is culled by Covid-19
The Covid-19 era has been a sensitive time for the high street. To a roll of honour that includes TM Lewin, Monsoon Accessorize, Le Pain Quotidien, Warehouse, Victoria’s Secret, Cath Kidston and Laura Ashley, we must now add Café Rouge and Bella Italia, which went into administration last week. These brands won’t all vanish entirely. Some have been bought out of administration with the hope of saving the profitable parts, but many will be slips of their former selves – an alarming thought in the case of Victoria’s Secret.
Some of these businesses were already at risk, thanks to a combination of rates and rents, Brexit, Deliveroo and Amazon. There’s no shame in going out to coronavirus, and you might argue it’s better for some of them in the long run.
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