BHS To Be Reborn Online With New Website Focusing On Best-Sellers

BHS To Be Reborn Online With New Website Focusing On Best-Sellers

British Home Stores is to relaunch online, a month after the last of its high-street shops shut down.

The business, a staple of British shopping, went into administration in April and the company was wound down when a buyer could not be found.

Now BHS International, formed by the Al Mana Group, is relaunching the "iconic" brand allowing shoppers to make purchases on the new website.

BHS.com goes live on Thursday, selling lighting and home furnishings, which accounted for around three quarters of the most popular online products sold before the retailer went into administration.

Its kitchen, dining and clothing ranges are set to go on sale next month.

The collapse of BHS affected 11,000 jobs, 22,000 pensions, and sparked a lengthy parliamentary inquiry.

Retail billionaire Sir Philip Green has borne the brunt of the public fallout, having been branded the "the unacceptable face of capitalism" by MPs.

Sir Philip owned BHS for 15 years before selling it to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell for £1 in 2015.

Sir Philip has come under fire for taking more than £400 million in dividends from the chain, leaving it with a £571 million pension deficit and for selling it to a man with no retail experience.

BHS International has stressed the online retailer has no links with Sir Philip or Mr Chappell.

The new retailer, with headquarters in London, will employ 84 people, most of whom worked for the firm before it went into administration.

David Anderson of BHS International, who will oversee the launch, said: "We are thrilled to be relaunching this iconic brand back into the UK. It had a loyal customer base with around 1.2 million British shoppers who bought from us online, and for our relaunch we have managed to secure many of the products they liked the most.

"In addition to this, we have developed a new specially designed online platform for our UK business so we are not inheriting any legacy systems, and we were able to recruit the majority of people who worked on the profitable online and international operations of BHS before it went into administration.

"So although we are starting again in the UK, we have a number of advantages over a typical start-up. We are nimble and efficient, but with a great brand, strong customer base and a proven and dedicated team."

The site will not have as wide a range of products, but will focus on "best-sellers", BHS International said.

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