Major fashion retailer returns to UK high street after closing all stores in 2020

Evans, the long-standing plus-size label for sizes 14 to 32, has returned to the UK high street after a six-year hiatus. The chain closed all stores and concessions in December 2020 when its parent Arcadia Group entered administration, and later pivoted to online sales. It was acquired in 2023 by AK Retail, which also owns Yours Clothing and M&Co. Evans now appears in brick-and-mortar retail through the Yours Clothing network, with dedicated Evans sections in 36 stores and a broader Evans footprint in more than 50 Yours Clothing outlets across the UK and Ireland, including Liverpool, Swansea, Watford and Glasgow’s Braehead. The revival was welcomed as a loyalty-driven comeback, with a spokesperson noting that when fit, range, and authenticity align, customers return. Evans, established in 1930, has been a fixture of the British high street for nine decades and now emphasizes value paired with premium, flattering designs rooted in its heritage. The collaboration reflects AK Retail’s integration of Evans with its Yours Clothing network, a strategic response to a challenging retail year characterized by closures and administrations. The Evans presence is supported by dedicated sections in 36 stores and an updated store locator online.