The collapse of Philip Green’s Arcadia Group, owner of Topman, Topshop, Burton and Dorothy Perkins, into administration is widely expected to see rival retailers bid for these brands.

The announcement also prompted JD Sports (JD.) to abandon its plan to buy department store Debenhams out of administration, with the 200-year-old chain facing liquidation – notably because Arcadia had concessions in Debenhams stores.

JD’s decision to terminate this prospective deal has been greeted with relief by investors who saw the transaction as too risky. Interestingly Shore Capital analyst Clive Black believes Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group (FRAS) might look at some of Debenhams’ assets, namely the Maine and Mantaray brands.

Among the potential predators as Arcadia is broken up are JD itself, Frasers and online firm Boohoo (BOO:AIM). Boohoo has form for buying ailing high street brands and taking them online, including Karen Millen, Coast, Warehouse and Oasis.

These latest developments are more bad news for landlords of physical shops and shopping malls, such as Hammerson (HMSO), and it appears likely that there will be further consolidation in the retail space as the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt.

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