Southern Co-op on Brink, LK Bennett Collapses

0:00On April 26, seven co-op, a big regional chain with over 300 supermarkets, funeral homes and coffee shops in southern England is. Warning it could collapse into administration any day now. That's thousands of jobs on the line, unless it merges with the larger national co-op group to stay afloat. After three straight years of losses, trading got even tougher lately, forcing them to lean hard on banks and suppliers just to keep doors open. As supports drying up fast, with no time left to ramp it up, a malicious cyber attack hit the national co-op group last year, leaving the whole operation reeling and adding to the pain. Members are voicing concerns, asking if there's any other way out, but bosses say they've explored every angle and come up short. Meanwhile, High Street Fashion brand LK Bennett, once a favorite of K Middleton, just fell into administration too. All nine stores and 13 concessions across the UK are shutting down within five days. With massive discounts up to 90% on shoes and everything else, shoppers are rushing in

1:04for the final clearances. These hits spotlight how tough times are squeezing UK retailers from every side.