Next buys Russell & Bromley, saving 440 jobs but leaving most stores at risk.

Next has acquired luxury footwear brand Russell & Bromley in a pre-pack insolvency deal, securing the 147-year-old British brand’s future by purchasing its intellectual property and part of its stock. The £3.8 million purchase includes three UK stores but leaves 33 others and nine concessions at risk, as administrators at Interpath evaluate their future. The deal preserves around 440 jobs and aims to maintain the brand’s legacy of craftsmanship, though most physical locations remain outside the acquisition.