Online furniture and homeware retailer MADE.com has this morning confirmed that it has entered into administration.
The collapse of the company comes after the retailer – which was founded back in 2010 by Brent Hoberman, the Lastminute.com co-founder, and Chinese entrepreneur Ning Li – went public last year with a valuation of £775 million following what was said to be a “stellar sales performance” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sales then began to fall away, however, when COVID restrictions came to an end and customers started to complain about the long waits and delayed deliveries for their orders.
MADE.com suspended trading shares over a week ago, and its market value then slumped to £2.1 million.
Up to 500 jobs are now believed to be at risk following the collapse.
ADVERTISEMENT
News that that MADE had filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, and that the company was “exploring all options” – including an accelerated sale of all of parts of the business – began circulating last week.
Online furniture retailer MADE has entered into administration / Credit: made.com
Administrators at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) were beginning the task of selling the company’s other assets and paying off its debts to creditors – but now it’s been announced that the company has officially entered into administration.
ADVERTISEMENT
It has also been confirmed today that rival retailer Next has snapped-up the MADE.com brand, its website, and intellectual property.
Speaking as the business goes into administration, Nicola Thompson – Chief Executive of MADE.com – said: “I would like to sincerely apologise to everyone – customers, employees, supplier partners, shareholders and all other stakeholders – impacted as a result of the business going into administration.
“Made is a much loved brand that was highly successful and well adapted, over many years, to a world of low inflation, stable consumer demand, reliable and cost efficient global supply chains and limited geo-political volatility – but that world vanished, the business could not survive in its current iteration, and we could not pivot fast enough.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The retailer has shared a message of its notice of intention to appoint administrators on its website / Credit: made.com
Ms Thompson confirmed that the brand “will now continue under new owners.”
Co-founder Ning Li said shortly before the firm’s collapse that he had submitted three proposals to MADE.com’s board and PwC to buy back the company, but he claimed his offer had been rejected.
He wrote in a statement on LinkedIn: “Apparently, it would be preferable to break the company up and sell it in pieces to generate a little more cash.
“It makes no sense to me, but I wanted you to know that I really tried.”
Featured Image – made.com
News
Oldham police issue dispersal order following ‘repeat incidents’ of disorder in town centre
Emily Sergeant
A dispersal order has been issued in Oldham following ‘repeat incidents’ of disorder between groups of youths.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that it has implemented a Section 35 dispersal order and additional Section 60 ‘stop and search’ powers in Oldham following repeat incidents of disorder between groups of youths in the town centre.
The measures were introduced yesterday afternoon (9 December) after reports of disorder came into police, which also followed similar incidents seen earlier this and last week.
So far, five arrests have been made in connection with the incidents – two for violent disorder, and three for possession of offensive weapons.
A Section 35 dispersal order is in effect for 48 hours until 1:25pm this Thursday (11 December), and the Section 60 is in effect for an initial 24 hours until 1:25pm today.
#UPDATE | We have implemented a Section 35 dispersal order and a Section 60 stop and search powers in Oldham Town Centre today at 1:25pm.
The measures will remain in place for 48 hours for the S.35 and for 24 hours for the S.60 following disorder.
The dispersal order allows officers to exclude a person, or people, from an area for up to 48 hours through a written notice, while the Section 60 authority grants officers extended powers to stop and search individuals within the area.
Neighbourhood officers will maintain a high-visibility presence in the area and will use these powers where necessary to ‘keep the public safe’.
“These measures are in place to prevent further disorder and ensure the safety of those living, working, and visiting Oldham town centre,” commented Inspector Amie Whitehead, who is the Neighbourhood Inspector for Oldham South & West.
“We will not tolerate antisocial behaviour and will take robust action against anyone involved.
“These powers are crucial to preventing any further offences from taking place. If you have any concerns or any information, then please speak to those officers who are there to help.”
Anyone with any information is urged to contact police via 101 or using the LiveChat function on www.gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1619 of 09/12/25.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Trafford Centre announces opening hours for 2025/26 festive season – including Boxing Day
Emily Sergeant
Trafford Centre has published its full list of opening hours for this current festive season.
We all know that the Christmas period is one of the busiest times of the year for the retail industry, with people flocking to the shops in their millions to snap up festive gifts for their loved ones, and it only gets busier from Boxing Day onwards too when all the sales launch, offering shoppers some unmissable deals and bargains.
And nowhere in Greater Manchester gets busier during the festive season than the Trafford Centre. After all, with more than 200 stores all under one room, it’s not hard to see why.
This year, shoppers can make the most of extended opening hours at the Trafford Centre right through to New Year’s Day – with late night shopping until 11pm on selected dates in December leading up to the big day.
Alongside being a one-stop-shop for gifts, there’s also dozens of festive events and new Christmas lights to enjoy at the Trafford Centre too, so visitors can tick everything off their list and have a great day out while they’re at it.
The shopping centre will be open from 9am – 5pm on Christmas Eve, so you can whip round and grab any last-minute presents, before it’s closed fully on Christmas Day, and then opens again bright and early at 8am on Boxing Day.
Trafford Centre Christmas Opening Hours 2025/26
18 and 19 December: 10am – 11pm
20 December: 10am – 10pm
21 December: 12pm – 6pm
22 and 23 December: 10am – 11pm
Christmas: 9am – 5pm
Christmas Day: Closed
26 December: 8am – 8pm (some stores may be closed, please check with individual brands)
27 December: 10am – 9pm
28 December: 12pm – 6pm
29 and 30 December: 10pm – 10pm
New Year’s Eve: 9am – 5pm
New Year’s Day: 12pm – 6pm
It’s also worth noting, however, that not every store inside the Trafford Centre will be open on Boxing Day, so you’ll need to check with individual brands ahead of time.
For the restaurants, stores, and leisure venues that are open, you can check their specific trading hours on the Trafford Centre website here.
When it comes to festive event, The Grotto is open until Christmas Eve for pre-bookings only, and the Christmas fairground and ice rink, Big Wheel, and Gandeys Snowstorm Firebird show are all open until 4 January (closed Christmas Day).
Emily Sergeant -
9th November 2022 
