The historic Otterburn Mill closes down as the business enters liquidation

Less than a month since the shop was put up for sale after 30 years of being owned by Euan Pringle, on May 27 the company entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation.

Otterburn Mills Limited operated two stores – one in Otterburn which was formerly a working textile mill that manufactured wools and tweeds that were famously popular with royalty back in the early 1900s, and another in Rothbury.

The business faced ongoing challenges in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, with footfall never returning to previous levels.

The unexpected loss of a key supplier, combined with rising operational costs and shifts in shopping habits, placed further strain on the business.

Coupled with the cost-of-living crisis and enforcement action taken by HMRC over unpaid liabilities, the business was left with no option but to cease trading and make all 28 employees redundant.

Antonya Allison and Callum Carmichael of FRP Advisory were appointed as joint liquidators, and FRP are providing support to all those affected, including assistance with claims to the Redundancy Payments Service.

Antonya Allison said: “Otterburn Mills was a well-known and respected local business that had built a loyal customer base over many years.

“The retailer was faced with an array of challenging headwinds that many high-street brands will recognise and, despite our best efforts to identify it has not been possible to find a viable way forward for the business.

"Our focus is now on supporting those affected and working to ensure the best possible outcome for creditors through the liquidation process.”