Leicester's Early Days kid's shoemaker folds after 73 years

Leicester-based children’s footwear manufacturer Michael Bolton & Sons, which traded as Early Days, has entered Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation after 73 years’ trading.

Paul George and Chris Lawton of Business Helpline Group were appointed joint liquidators on 17 April.

The company had operated from Leicester for several decades and built a presence in the UK and international children’s footwear markets.

The liquidation follows what advisers described as sustained financial pressures across the retail and manufacturing sectors, including rising operating costs, squeezed margins and wider economic uncertainty.

The joint liquidators are now working with stakeholders on the orderly winding up of the business. Azhar Ahmed, managing partner at BHG Advisory, said Early Days had operated in “an increasingly challenging environment” facing many retail and manufacturing businesses.

He added that firms with significant manufacturing and staffing overheads continued to be particularly exposed to ongoing cost pressures and margin challenges.