Harvey Nichols Dundrum bust as liquidators appointed

The Harvey Nichols luxury store in Dundrum Town Centre has declared bankruptcy, with interim provisional joint liquidators appointed by the High Court. Dublin-based Harvey Nichols, a part of the UK-wide group, was found to be insolvent and unable to pay its debts. The Dundrum store, which employs 33 people, had struggled with poor trading since the Covid-19 pandemic and was no longer receiving financial support from its UK parent company.

Barrister John Lavelle, representing the company, informed the court that the business had been operating at a loss for several years. Five specific creditors and the Department of Social Protection have been notified of the company's collapse. The petition to wind up the company was presented by its secretary and sole director, Julia Goddard, based in London.

John Boland and Nicholas O’Dwyer of Grant Thornton have been appointed as the joint liquidators. Ms Goddard stated that the annual rent for the Dundrum store was €1,059,410, and the company had €19,382,000 in net liabilities in 2021, which increased to €28.2 million by the end of the 2026 financial year. She added that no one was interested in buying the company, and the board decided it was in the company's best interests to enter a winding up process.

If no buyer could be found, the joint liquidators would be responsible for implementing an orderly cessation of trading and securing the company's assets. The proceedings were adjourned until September 7.