Fired Earth has entered administration, with all 20 of its showrooms across the country set to closeJake Holden and Phil Norris Editor, Gloucestershire Live
06:00, 08 Nov 2025
Fired Earth has closed in Cheltenham(Image: Google)
Cheltenham has lost another big name as a shop in a prominent position in the town centre shuts. Interior design specialist Fired Earth has gone into administration, cutting 133 positions whilst closing every one of its UK stores, including in Cheltenham.
The Fired Earth showroom was in Montpellier Walk, at the roundabout junction with Lansdown Road and Montpellier Terrace, across the road from Montpellier Garden and near to The Ivy.
A sign on the door now reads: “This store is now closed.”
It adds: “Fired Earth was placed into Administration on 31 October 2025.”
Although the company’s 20 showrooms nationwide will close their doors, Fired Earth’s head office in Banbury will continue operating and its warehouses will complete existing orders, bosses have promised customers.
Fired Earth in Montpellier Walk, Cheltenham
It is the latest business to close in the area, with Ask Italian having closed. Starbucks on the Promenade is due to shut on November 29.
In September steak restaurant The Ox in Cambray Place closed for good after 10 years in the town. It followed the closure of Cake Alchemist, Domaine 16 and The Find this year – all in Regent Street.
However, a new Tesco Express is seeking to open in Promenade as is Freckleface, which makes ethical luxury hand poured products.
Insolvency experts Dane O’Hara and Neil Bennett from Leonard Curtis took charge of the firm on October 31 as the administration procedure began.
The business had maintained a presence on British high streets and abroad – working with 22 independent stockists and distributing products to retailers in Denmark and Norway, reports the Express.
Despite achieving £15million in turnover during 2024, the company still posted losses of £1.6million that year, mirroring the financial troubles that beset the firm throughout 2023.
Mr O’Hara outlined how the business entered administration, stating: “Fired Earth has been loss-making for some time. In the last three years, the company has been supported by its shareholder via substantial working capital loans while efforts were made to return the business to profitability.”
The administrator continued: “Unfortunately, the company continued to incur trading losses, and its investor was not prepared to provide further funding in the absence of a viable turnaround strategy.”
Shops in Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Truro, Nottingham, Chester, Knutsford and Harrogate are also closing.
Despite several parties showing keen interest in acquiring the company’s assets, no buyer has yet emerged for the business, according to administrators.
The Centre for Retail Research predicts that over 17,000 shops will shut their doors, a significant increase from the 13,479 closures seen in 2023. Analysts suggest that the rise of online shopping, escalating operational costs and increased taxes have created a challenging climate for high street businesses.
In 2024, Amazon reported an impressive gross annual profit of $311.671 billion, marking a 15.4% increase from the previous year, as per Macrotrends data.
The hike in National Insurance contributions for employers from 13.8% to 15% this April has added further pressure on business owners employing staff in physical stores.
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