Austin Reed is to make a return to the high street less than a year after it went into administration. Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group, which bought the brand in May, has said that it will open a new flagship store in London to anchor a new chain of 50 stores which will open by the end of next year.

Austin Reed went into administration in April, closing its 120 stores and making over a thousand people redundant.

EWM relaunched it as a purely online brand earlier this year.

"With the addition of Austin Reed, which we acquired earlier this year, as well as Country Casuals and Viyella, we aim to continue this organic growth, while always being ready to respond to other opportunities as they arise,” chief executive Steve Simpson said.