BodyCare expansion: 17 new stores planned, Mill Gate Bury, 2026

Key Points

• Health and beauty brand BodyCare has announced it will open 17 new stores across the UK as part of its return to the high street.
• A new BodyCare store will open in the Mill Gate shopping centre in Bury, Greater Manchester.
• Bolton is not included in the confirmed 17‑site list; the brand chose nearby Bury instead.
• BodyCare disappeared from Britain’s high streets in September 2025 after administrators closed its 56 shops.
• The high street beauty retailer collapsed into administration in September 2025 and could not secure a buyer for its UK chain.
• Administrators at Interpath said the decision to close the stores was difficult but necessary due to the lack of a buyer.
• Bury’s Mill Gate store had been left off previous closure lists but shut in September 2025; Bolton’s Market Place store had already closed earlier.
• Savers, another health and beauty retailer, returned to Mill Gate in March 2026, attracting hundreds of shoppers on opening day.
• BodyCare’s former Market Place store in Bolton remains unoccupied as the brand rebuilds its estate.
• BodyCare was founded in 1970 in Lancashire and sold beauty products, fragrances and bathroom items across UK high streets and shopping centres.
• The revived company plans to reopen in 17 locations, with 15 of those opening within one year.
• The full location list includes: Sheffield, Leicester, Derby, Brierley Hill, Bradford, Blackburn, Leeds, Bury, Livingston, Sunderland, Cwmbran, Gateshead, Glasgow, Luton, Warrington, Northampton and Wakefield.
• Each new store will have an in‑store content creator studio with good lighting, free for customers to film, create and experiment.
• BodyCare says it will continue to stock health and beauty essentials, K‑beauty, fine fragrance and operate piercing studios.

 Bury (Manchester Mirror) July 02, 2026 – BodyCare is returning to bricks‑and‑mortar retail in Greater Manchester with a new store in uk/local/bury/">Bury’s Mill Gate shopping centre, but despite the brand’s 17‑store expansion plan, Bolton has not been selected for an initial site. As reported by The Bolton News, BodyCare has announced it will be opening 17 new stores, including one in the Mill Gate, Bury – but not in Bolton.

The announcement marks a significant step in the value health and beauty retailer’s comeback after all of its UK stores were closed in September 2025 following its entry into administration. The brand’s return is being driven by a new ownership group rather than the previous corporate structure, with the intention to rebuild a national high‑street estate focused on discount skincare, cosmetics, toiletries and household goods.

Why is BodyCare opening 17 new stores now?

Collapse into administration and closure of all stores

BodyCare collapsed into administration in September 2025 and had not been able to secure a buyer for its chain of stores in the UK. As reported by The Bolton News, administrators at advisory firm Interpath said this meant it had made the difficult decision to close them down.

The shop disappeared from Britain’s high streets after administrators announced the closure of its 56 shops in September last year (2025). Bury’s store, at the Mill Gate Shopping Centre, had been left off previous closure lists but shut in September 2025, while Bolton’s store, in Market Place, had already closed earlier.

This series of closures left BodyCare’s former Market Place store in Bolton unoccupied and marked the end of the brand’s presence on many high streets that had long relied on it for affordable health and beauty products.

A revived brand with a 17‑store rollout plan

Now BodyCare has announced it will reopen in 17 locations, with 15 to open within the space of one year. As reported by The Bolton News, the full list of towns includes Sheffield, Leicester, Derby, Brierley Hill, Bradford, Blackburn, Leeds, Bury, Livingston, Sunderland, Cwmbran, Gateshead, Glasgow, Luton, Warrington, Northampton and Wakefield.

Bury’s Mill Gate is on the list, along with Blackburn and Warrington, but Bolton is not. This 17‑store plan is the first substantial phase of the brand’s return to the high street after its 2025 collapse, and it signals a commitment to rebuild a nationwide network of value health and beauty retailers.

Why was Bury chosen but not Bolton?

Site availability and local retail dynamics

BodyCare’s previous Market Place store in Bolton remains unoccupied, indicating that the unit is still available but has not yet been taken by the revived brand. As reported by The Bolton News, the former BodyCare store in Market Place is still unoccupied as the brand plans its new openings.

Bury’s store, at the Mill Gate Shopping Centre, had been left off previous closure lists but shut in September 2025, showing that the site had some protection before the final closure decision was made. The centre later saw Savers, another health and beauty retailer, return in March 2026, where crowds of hundreds of shoppers turned up for its opening. This suggests that Mill Gate is an active, high‑traffic location that landlords are keen to populate with strong value brands.

It is likely that BodyCare’s decision to open in Bury but not Bolton reflects a combination of site availability, landlord negotiations, and the commercial potential of the Mill Gate location compared with the Market Place unit in Bolton. Retail roll‑outs often depend on whether a suitable unit is available, lease terms are favourable, and the centre’s overall strategy supports the brand.

Strategic focus on proven value locations

The decision to prioritise Bury alongside other towns such as Blackburn, Warrington and Bradford suggests that the revived BodyCare is targeting locations where it already had a strong customer base and where shopping centres are actively refreshing their retail mix. The earlier success of Savers in Mill Gate, with hundreds of shoppers attending its opening, reinforces the idea that Mill Gate is a high‑value location for health and beauty retailers.

Bolton, while a significant town in its own right, may not currently offer a unit or lease arrangement that matches BodyCare’s initial criteria for its first 17 sites. This does not mean Bolton is excluded permanently; it may be considered for later phases if a suitable unit becomes available and negotiations align with the brand’s expansion strategy.

How will the new BodyCare store affect shoppers in Bury and Bolton?

For Bury shoppers: return of a familiar discount option

For residents of Bury, the new BodyCare store in Mill Gate will bring back a familiar discount health and beauty brand that previously traded in the centre and built up a loyal customer base. The site had been left off earlier closure lists before ultimately shutting in September 2025, indicating it had been a stable part of the centre’s retail mix for some time.

Shoppers in Bury will be able to access a range of toiletries, cosmetics, cleaning products and other bathroom items at discounted prices, similar to the value proposition BodyCare offered before administration. The store’s location in Mill Gate, a central shopping destination with multi‑storey car parking, is likely to make it easily accessible for local residents and visitors from surrounding towns.

For Bolton shoppers: continued reliance on nearby alternatives

For Bolton residents, the absence of a BodyCare store in the town means they will not have direct access to this specific retailer in their local high street at this stage. BodyCare’s previous Market Place store in Bolton remains unoccupied, and the brand has not announced a timeline for reopening there.

However, Bolton shoppers can still travel to nearby Bury’s Mill Gate or to other towns where BodyCare is opening, such as Blackburn, Leeds or Warrington, depending on the final location list. The decision may also encourage local retailers and landlords in Bolton to consider alternative value health and beauty brands or to negotiate with BodyCare for a future site once the initial rollout is complete.

What are the new features of BodyCare’s revived stores?

In‑store content creator studios

The retail company’s website states each store will have “its own in‑store content creator studio” complete with good lighting that will be completely free to use. The site states it is “a space to film, create, experiment, and finally make the content you’ve been dreaming about”.

This feature transforms each BodyCare location into a local social content hub, where customers, micro‑influencers and staff can create videos, photos and live streams that highlight products and promotions. The aim is to build a stronger digital presence and connect with younger shoppers who engage with brands through social media.

Product range and additional services

BodyCare also promises it will continue to stock health and beauty essentials, along with K‑beauty, fine fragrance and piercing studios. This mix extends the brand’s traditional offering beyond basic toiletries and cosmetics, adding trend‑driven lines such as K‑beauty and experiential services like piercing.

The combination of value pricing, a broad product range and added services positions the revived BodyCare to compete with both traditional discount retailers and more specialised beauty chains, potentially attracting a wider customer base to its new stores.

Background: How BodyCare collapsed and was revived

BodyCare was founded in 1970 in Lancashire and sold beauty products, fragrances and other bathroom items. Its stores were based in shopping centres and high streets in towns and cities across the UK, building a long‑standing presence in communities that relied on it for affordable everyday essentials.

The high street beauty retailer collapsed into administration earlier in September 2025 and had not been able to secure a buyer for its chain of stores in the UK. Administrators at advisory firm Interpath said this meant it had made the difficult decision to close them down, leading to the disappearance of the shop from Britain’s high streets after administrators announced the closure of its 56 shops in September last year.

Bury’s store, at the Mill Gate Shopping Centre, had been left off previous closure lists but shut in September 2025, with Bolton’s store, in Market Place, already closed before that. This marked the end of BodyCare’s original operation, but the brand’s name, products and customer base remained, creating the foundation for a potential revival under new ownership.

Now BodyCare has announced it will reopen in 17 locations, with 15 to open within the space of one year, signalling a structured return to the high street. Bury’s Mill Gate is on the list, along with Blackburn and Warrington, but not Bolton, showing that the revived brand is carefully selecting its first wave of sites based on availability, landlord agreements and strategic fit.

Prediction: How BodyCare’s return could affect shoppers, workers and local economies

If BodyCare successfully rolls out its 17‑store plan and continues towards its longer‑term ambition of a wider national estate, shoppers in towns with new sites will gain a readily accessible discount health and beauty option. This is likely to increase price competition with existing retailers such as Savers, Boots and local chemists, potentially leading to more competitive pricing on everyday essentials.

For shoppers in towns not yet included, such as Bolton, the development may create pressure on local landlords and retailers to negotiate with BodyCare or similar value brands in future phases. Over time, this could broaden the range of affordable options available across Greater Manchester and beyond.

For workers: new jobs and updated retail skills

The store expansion will create new retail jobs in the towns where sites are confirmed, including Bury, Blackburn, Warrington, Leeds and others on the list. Workers in these roles may benefit from training not only in traditional retail duties but also in the use of in‑store content creator studios, where they can help produce social media content and run promotional activities.

However, the scale of job creation will depend on how quickly the brand reaches its wider expansion targets and whether later phases include smaller towns and neighbouring areas such as Bolton. Early benefits will be concentrated in towns like Bury, Blackburn and Warrington, with other communities potentially seeing gains in subsequent years.

For local economies: footfall, centre vitality and landlord strategy

For shopping centres like Mill Gate in Bury, the addition of a BodyCare store is likely to boost footfall and support neighbouring retailers. Value retailers often attract frequent, budget‑conscious shoppers, which can increase overall visits and sales for the centre, especially after the successful opening of Savers in March 2026, which drew crowds of hundreds of shoppers.

For towns like Bolton that are not included in the first 17 sites, the impact will be more indirect. Local landlords may view BodyCare’s expansion as an opportunity to attract the brand in future phases, while local retailers may need to compete without the short‑term presence of another major value health and beauty chain. Over time, if BodyCare continues its planned growth, the economic benefits could spread more widely across the North West and other regions, including Bolton once a suitable site is secured.