THE future of a long-standing Hereford shop is under threat with almost 200 shops set to close countrywide.

The Body Shop has announced new restructuring plans which could see nearly half of its 198 UK stores close, with seven shops shutting down immediately.

Administrators for the retail chain also said they will be cutting about 40 per cent of head office roles, which amounts to around 270 jobs.

The plans are expected to secure the future of The Body Shop, after it fell into administration earlier this month, according to administrators FRP.

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Hereford's branch of The Body Shop is at the corner of Gomond Street and Commercial Street, opposite the old Laura Ashley shop, which is now a Midlands Air Ambulance charity shop. 

The retailer was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon as one of the first companies to promote so-called ethical consumerism, focusing on ethically produced cosmetics and skincare products.

The news comes only weeks after new owners, European private equity firm Aurelius, took control of the business.

Aurelius, which specialises in buying and turning around troubled firms, secured a £207 million deal in November to buy the Body Shop from Brazilian cosmetics giant Natura & Co.

It only took control of operations officially on January 1.

The business employed around 10,000 people worldwide at the time of the takeover.

Aurelius agreed a deal late last month to sell the company’s operations in most of mainland Europe and in parts of Asia to an international family office in a “decisive step towards delivering a strong turnaround strategy” at The Body Shop.