The Telegraph 13/01/20

One of Britain’s oldest department stores has warned it is on the brink of administration as the retail industry faces an increasingly bruising period. Beales, a department store that first opened its doors in Bournemouth in 1881, said up to 1,000 jobs and 22 stores across the country were at risk if it failed to find a suitable buyer. It is currently in discussions with landlords to cut down its rent payments, as well as two potential buyers, including another retailer and venture capital investor, according to the BBC. The warning comes at a time when Britain’s high street retailers have been left out in the cold by consumers going online for their purchases.