Photography credit: John Bracegirdle/Alamy.
The retail sector as a whole has been under prolonged pressure, faced with challenging economic conditions. In August 2025, the Office for National Statistics demonstrated that 28% of UK trading businesses reported a decrease in turnover, up 4 percentage points from July 2025.
This proves that the tile retail sector is not alone in facing significant challenges. Over the last few weeks, the industry has reported some tile retail companies filing for administration and some placing Notices of Intention to appoint administrators: Fired Earth; Ceramique Internationale, Rowmarl, Spectrum Tiles, Euxton Tiles Supplies, and Penrith Tile Centre operating within one group; and Stiled Ltd, owner of Tile Giant and Tile Choice are some of the latest industry names to be mentioned. The picture is constantly evolving as the administrators and owners try to rescue any viable aspects of the businesses and support any employees affected.
Administrators have been appointed by Fired Earth. Registered in 1983 and based in Oxford, the company has 20 stores across the UK with a further 22 independent stockists selling Fired Earth products. It is currently owned by entrepreneur Simon Lousada, whose Lousada Group also controls RED Construction and Zeal Hotels. On 31st October, joint administrators Dane O’Hara and Neil Bennett from insolvency firm Leonard Curtis were appointed to manage the administration process after “Fired Earth has been loss making for some time”, according to Dane O’Hara. He continues: “In the last 3 years the company has been supported by its shareholder via substantial working capital loans, while efforts were made to return the business to profitability. Unfortunately, the company has continued to incur trading losses, and its investor was not prepared to provide further funding to the business in the absence of a viable turnaround strategy.”
Leonard Curtis is in the process of negotiation with several parties who have expressed interest in the business’ assets. However, it has been reported that the company’s 133 employees are unfortunately being made redundant and are being assisted by EVOLVE, advisers on the Employment Rights Act, who have been instructed to help with employee claims. The insolvency firm has stated that Fired Earth will continue trading in a limited capacity and fulfilling customer orders from inventory, pending completion of an asset only sale, adding that customers with outstanding orders will be contacted shortly by representatives of the Fired Earth team. All customer enquiries should be directed to online@firedearth.com or 0345 565 2032 where Fired Earth endeavours to help, while administration queries should be directed to Leonard Curtis directly on 0207 535 7000.
A group of tile businesses under the Earle Group and Full Circle Group have also ceased trading and appointed administrators on 27th October 2025. It is understood that 59 employee jobs were made redundant a few days before. The affected tile business are Ceramique Internationale Ltd (based in Leeds), Rowmarl Ltd (based in Bedford) trading as Tile Supplies Bedford and Elstow Ceramic Tile Warehouse, Spectrum Tiles Ltd (based in Euxton), Penrith Tile Centre (based in Penrith) and Euxton Tile Supplies Ltd (based in Euxton). The oldest of these, Euxton Tile Supplies Ltd, had more than 75 years of trading history, initially incorporated in 1950. Joint administrators Christopher Ratten and Matthew Haw of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory sold assets – including tile stock and site fixtures and fittings – to two newly formed entities, Euxton Tiles Ltd and Ralee Group Ltd on 31st October. The administrators are now working to process employee claims.
According to industry sources and business press, Stiled Ltd, the owners of Tile Giant and Tile Choice brands, filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator in October.
The situation regarding all the above is evolving and no doubt more information will follow in due course.
