Two Carpetright stores in Kent that were set to close due to the parent company’s decision to go into administration will actually reopen their doors under new ownership. Bensons for Beds will occupy the stores in Canterbury and Gillingham, potentially saving some of the jobs.

Bensons for Beds is on the verge of filling the gap of two stores of Carpetright in Canterbury and Gillingham, Kent. These stores were earlier supposed to close when Carpetright went into administration. Bensons for Beds is taking over these outlets as a part of the company’s plan to reopen such 19 stores in the country.

It was as recent as a few weeks ago that ten Carpetright stores closed in Kent when the retailer collapsed into administration before being sold to rival Tapi. Now not only is Bensons for Beds taking over the two sites based in Canterbury and Gillingham but is trying to offer employment to Carpetright’s former staff.

Nick Collard, the chief executive of Bensons for Beds, said the company was excited about this opportunity. “Increasing the number of Bensons stores remains a key growth priority and we are excited about this opportunity to take on 19 store units. Today’s announcement supports our overall plan to expand our current 162-strong store estate to over 200 over the next few years,” he said.

The buyout comes at a time when Bensons for Beds has been working on its growth, given the prevailing challenging market conditions. The group has been trying quite hard to remain profitable and, at the same time, continue gaining market share. Since its return to profitability in 2023, Bensons for Beds has made appreciable progress and continues winning market share across all its core categories.

Collard added, “While market conditions for higher ticket purchases have remained very challenging, Bensons has continued to make real progress, by remaining focused on those things in our control. This work, alongside the announcement today on the new stores, leaves us well placed when the wider market starts to recover, allowing us to realise the longer-term ambitions for Bensons and its colleagues.”.

This development has been a godsend to the local population because Bensons for Beds is taking over the two Carpetright stores. At the time when Carpetright went into administration, over 1,000 workers were under threat of losing their jobs. It’s not yet clear how many of these jobs will be saved, although there is now some hope with the reopening of the stores.

There is still no update on the fate of the other eight Carpetright stores in Kent, with shops in Ashford, Gravesend, and Sittingbourne. Maidstone was the only store to be saved from closure.

It followed a weaker demand and a major cyber attack in April, which has led to the downfall of Carpetright. The retailer was later acquired by Tapi in a pre-pack administration deal. Tapi bought 54 Carpetright stores, two warehouses, and the brand’s intellectual property.

Tapi Carpets & Floors was formed in 2015 by Lord Harris of Peckham, who also founded Carpetright. He sold all his shares in Carpetright in 2014. Now, Tapi occupies about 175 shops across the UK and has grown rapidly in the country.

Jeevan Karan, managing director of Tapi Carpets & Floors, explained why they had chosen to buy just part of Carpetright. “Our objective, initially, was an attempt at trying to save the whole of Carpetright,” he said. “However, on looking at the fine details of the matter, we rapidly reached the conclusion that the whole business was not viable to save.

The reopening of the Canterbury and Gillingham stores as Bensons for Beds is a godsend to the local community, giving an opportunity for staff at Carpetright to regain employment and customers a familiar location from which to purchase furniture.

With the constant growth and expansion of Bensons for Beds, this acquisition can be considered an essential stepping stone in the firm’s strategy to make their presence felt across the UK. Growth and focus on profitability of the company even through turbulent times set it apart with a commitment to quality furniture at reasonable prices and excellent service for the customers.

In other words, although reopening stores will definitely save jobs, it will also give new life to locations scheduled for closure. The acquisition by Bensons for Beds has given hope to the local community and has also underlined the resilience and strategic planning of the firm.