Hunter — Wellington boot pioneer collapsed under £112M of debt

Hunter was founded in 1856 in Scotland and became famous for the original Wellington boot. For more than 160 years it manufactured rubber footwear, building a reputation as a durable all-weather brand with two royal warrants. In the 2010s, Hunter was transformed from a functional wellington maker into a lifestyle fashion brand, propelled by celebrity fans at Glastonbury and expanded its range to footwear, outerwear, bags, and accessories sold through its own stores, concessions, and wholesale partners worldwide.

By 2023 the company was drowning in debt. Total debts had reached £112.8 million, including £11.5 million owed to UK trade creditors. Hunter blamed a combination of climate change (warmer, drier weather reducing seasonal demand for wellingtons), pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, and the cost-of-living crisis. The company had secured a £7 million funding lifeline earlier in 2023 and was put up for auction in March, but could not find a solvent buyer. On 5 June 2023, Hunter Boots entered administration, employing 121 people of whom 11 were made redundant immediately.

Authentic Brands Group, which also owns Ted Baker and Reebok, acquired Hunter's intellectual property in a pre-pack administration deal reportedly worth nearly £100 million. The Batra Group became the core licensee for the UK and Europe, responsible for designing, producing, and operating retail stores, wholesale, and e-commerce in the region. Marc Fisher Footwear took on the US license. The operating company was renamed HBL Realisations Limited. The brand name continues as a licensing asset, but the original manufacturing and retail business that built it was dissolved.