Localist – The Meals Service provider, based mostly in East Kilbride, entered liquidation earlier this 12 months, ensuing within the lack of 71 jobs. The corporate delivered round 4,000 merchandise per week to greater than 2,500 shops throughout the UK, together with main retailers equivalent to Morrisons, Co-op, and Waitrose. Initially launched in 1994 as …
Localist – The Meals Service provider, based mostly in East Kilbride, entered liquidation earlier this 12 months, ensuing within the lack of 71 jobs.
The corporate delivered round 4,000 merchandise per week to greater than 2,500 shops throughout the UK, together with main retailers equivalent to Morrisons, Co-op, and Waitrose.
Initially launched in 1994 as Meals From Scotland Ltd, the enterprise aimed to help impartial meals producers in Scotland.
It later expanded its attain throughout the UK beneath the identify Enterprise Meals Ltd earlier than rebranding to Localist – The Meals Service provider in 2025.
George Lafferty of BTG was appointed provisional liquidator by Hamilton Sheriff Courtroom again on March 18.
Within the newest replace, Mr Lafferty has now been confirmed because the everlasting liquidator.
Earlier this 12 months, the managing companion of BTG in Scotland and Northern Eire, Thomas McKay, stated: “The administrators had made efforts to restructure the debt of the corporate in an effort to save the enterprise and rescue the roles, and the lack of the roles was sadly inevitable when this was not profitable.
“There are lots of small suppliers to the enterprise which are owed cash, and the lack of this path to market may also have a critical knock-on impact on these meals producers as effectively.
“We’re working to evaluate all claims and set up whether or not there might be any dividend paid to unsecured collectors, however it isn’t prone to be vital, given the extent of secured money owed within the enterprise.
“Regrettably, the failure of the corporate has resulted in 71 redundancies and we’re working carefully with these affected to assist them entry the monetary entitlements and help out there to them, together with help from Partnership Motion for Persevering with Employment (PACE) and the Redundancy Funds Service.”
Mr McKay stated the corporate’s precedence is now to maximise returns for collectors and make sure that redundant staff obtain the help and steerage they want in the course of the winding-up course of.
It has been a troublesome 12 months for the UK excessive road, with a number of different retailers coming into administration or liquidation and others asserting widespread retailer closures.
Main excessive road manufacturers LK Bennett, Claire’s, and Quiz have been compelled to shut all their remaining shops, having fallen into administration.
UK trend retailer Main Labels can also be set to shut its remaining 15 shops after falling into liquidation.
Different retailers have been compelled to shut shops this 12 months, together with:
Seven UK journey firms have ceased buying and selling in 2026:
Luxurious UK vacation firm Salamander Voyages additionally shut down again in April after coming into administration.
In the meantime, 4 UK airways have fallen into administration or liquidation:
UK supply firm Yodel is about to be phased out over the approaching months after being acquired by InPost.
It is also been reported that Morrisons is seeking to promote a few of its in-store pharmacies because it continues to chop prices.
It is not been all unhealthy information for the UK excessive road, with a number of main manufacturers asserting new retailer openings for 2026, together with Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.
Plus-size clothes model Evans has additionally returned to the UK excessive road in 2026 after closing all its shops and concessions in December 2020.
Which retailer closure has impacted you probably the most in 2026? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
