Matalan
Missouri Topco Limited · United Kingdom
Matalan is a British value fashion and homeware retailer founded in 1985 by John Hargreaves, with its first store near Preston. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Missouri Topco Limited, a holding company controlled by the Hargreaves family.
| Founded | 1985, Bamber Bridge, near Preston |
|---|---|
| Founder | John Hargreaves |
| Owner | Missouri Topco Limited (Hargreaves family) |
| Headquarters | Knowsley, Merseyside |
| Segment | Mass market and fast fashion |
| UK stores | 230 (June 2024) |
| Website | matalan.co.uk |
What is Matalan?
Matalan is a British retailer of value-priced clothing and homeware. It is headquartered in Knowsley, Merseyside, where it moved in 2014, and sells through UK stores, two websites and franchise outlets overseas.
History
John Hargreaves founded Matalan in 1985, opening the first store in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. The business grew into a national chain and remains controlled by the founding family.
Business model and distribution
Matalan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Missouri Topco Limited, a Guernsey-based holding company controlled by the Hargreaves family. As of June 2024 reference sources counted 230 UK stores.
- UK stores: 230 as of June 2024
- Franchise: outlets in the Middle East operated by BTC Fashion General Trading
- Online: matalan.co.uk for the UK and matalanme.com for the Middle East
- Concessions: Totally Toys in-store concessions with The Entertainer, launched in 2018
Leadership
Jo Whitfield was appointed chief executive in March 2023 and left in October 2024. A successor was not identified in the sources used, so the current chief executive is not stated here.
Why it matters
Matalan is one of the longer-established value fashion chains in the United Kingdom and remains privately held by its founding family, which is unusual among British high street retailers of its size.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Matalan?
Matalan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Missouri Topco Limited, a Guernsey-based holding company controlled by the Hargreaves family.
Where is Matalan from?
Matalan is British. John Hargreaves opened the first store in Bamber Bridge near Preston in 1985, and the company is now headquartered in Knowsley, Merseyside.
