Women’s clothing brand Rowland’s, which originated in Bath 30 years ago, is to be revived under its original name as its third owner in two years takes control.
The firm, which most recently had been based in Trowbridge, has gone into administration twice in as many years.
But new owner, fast-growing Swindon online retail group Scotts & Co, has pledged to return the brand to its former glory.
According to fashion industry website Drapers, Scotts & Co chairman Nigel Swabey had made no secret of its ambition to acquire a mid-market womenswear brand and had previously expressed interest in Rowland’s. 
He told the site: “Having tracked the company over the past 15 years, we identified a strong affinity between our customer base and the Rowland’s brand.”
He said Rowland’s would be relaunched next February under its original name Rowlands of Bath.
“This is a business that lost its way and needs to return to its roots,” he added. “The process needs to start with a complete redesign and rebalancing of the product range.
“Our aim is to create a collection that honours the tradition of Rowlands of Bath as a retailer of high-quality clothing for customers aged 55-plus.”
Rowland’s, originally based in Bath, went bust for the second time in March, two years after it was saved by Rosemex Trading, a private equity-owned London-based group.
Scotts & Co said it will take on two of Rowland’s former 55 staff, most of whom worked in its stores its nine stores, including an outlet in Bath. Rowlands, which targets women aged 50-plus, also sold through its catalogues and website.
Scotts & Co now owns 10 businesses – including home-shopping womenswear retailers Artigiano and Prelude – and claims to have the largest database of “affluent, 55-plus female mail-order buyers” in the UK.
