The Factory Shop Limited,
trading as
A trade name, trading name, or business name is a pseudonym used by companies that do not operate under their registered company name. The term for this type of alternative name is fictitious business name. Registering the fictitious name with ...
The Original Factory Shop, is a
discount department store
Discount stores offer a retail format in which products are sold at prices that are in principle lower than an actual or supposed "full retail price". Discounters rely on bulk purchasing and efficient distribution to keep down costs.
Types (Unit ...
chain that was established in 1969. It currently operates almost two hundred stores across the United Kingdom.
History
The Original Factory Shop was established in 1969 as part of Peter Black's retail network. Initially it sold soap manufactured by one of Black's factories. The chain now has 185 outlets.
During 2010 to 2011, the chain expanded its warehouse and offices in Burnley by to provide for the future needs of the business.
In August 2011, the chain did not perform as well with profits reduced, due to economic conditions and massive investment in the chain, including many store openings, expansion of headquarters and warehouse and upgrading store equipment. The chief executive of The Original Factory Shop is former
Lloyds Pharmacy boss Tony Page, who replaced
Angela Spindler in June 2013. In May 2010, rumours surfaced that the parent company Duke Street Capital put the chain up for sale for £200 million. These rumours were later denied by The Original Factory Shop and Duke Street Capital.
On 26 June 2018, it was announced that The Original Factory Shop is to close 32 stores due to falling profits, and the withdrawal of its credit insurance. The Original Factory Shop has also reported that it will be unsurprisingly starting a
company voluntary arrangement
Under UK insolvency law an insolvent company can enter into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA). The CVA is a form of composition, similar to the personal IVA (individual voluntary arrangement), where an insolvency procedure allows a compa ...
process.
The group's profits soared, post the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, in the financial year 2021/22. Total revenue throughout the organization was £124.4 million, a growth of 250%. Actual profit being recorded at £8.5 million, up £2.4 million on the previous year.
In 2024, Ian Williams was appointed as CEO.
In February 2025, Modella Capital brought the chain from Duke Street Capital.
Operations
The chain sell fashion, homewares, toys and personal care products. The products can be from the chain's own lines, branded products or cut label products from a high street chain or supermarket.
In the middle of 2010, The Original Factory Shop opened its online store.
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Original Factory Shop
Retail companies of the United Kingdom
Discount shops of the United Kingdom
Retail companies established in 1969
Companies based in Burnley
Outlet stores