Raleigh owner Accell UK files to appoint administrators

Raleigh’s owner, Accell UK and Ireland, which has owned the brand since 2012, has filed to appoint administrators. It said it had made an exhaustive but unsuccessful search for a way to continue the group in its current form. Separately, on 30 September, administrators were appointed to a different company, Ceco (Flooring) Limited, which ceased trading after 48 years, according to The Herald.

It is tempting to read the two as one story about British manufacturers. The sources do not support that. According to the sources, Raleigh stopped manufacturing in the UK under Accell, and Ceco was a flooring consultancy and solutions business within a distribution group, not a factory.

What Accell UK has said

According to Administration List, Accell UK and Ireland has filed to appoint administrators. The group said “every realistic option for the future of the business has been tirelessly explored” without finding a way to continue in its current form. Administrators had not been named at the time of reporting.

The group said its immediate focus is an orderly process that preserves viable activities and employment where circumstances allow. Accell bought Raleigh in 2012 for £74 million, and its UK brands also include Haibike, Winora and Ghost. Raleigh Ltd, company number 06030277, was still listed as active when Administration List published.

Administration List said a restructuring in February pointed to distress well before the filing. It also suggested that a post-pandemic demand correction in the UK cycle trade may have squeezed distributors. That is the publication’s analysis, not a statement from the company, and public detail on turnover and headcount is limited.

Ceco ceases trading

Ceco, based in Carryduff, was established in July 1978 and employed nine staff. It provided flooring and tiling consultancy and solutions for commercial and residential projects across the UK and Ireland, and was a subsidiary of Headlam Group, a floor covering distributor. Administrators were appointed to Headlam Group plc and HFD Limited on 8 September 2026, according to The Herald.

Efforts were made to find a buyer or investor for Ceco, but none was found. Ian Leonard and Stuart Irwin of Interpath were appointed joint administrators on 30 September. Mr Leonard said: “It is particularly sad to see a business of this quality reach this point as a consequence of the challenges experienced by the wider Headlam group.”

Most employees have been made redundant, with a small number kept on to help with the wind-down. The administrators said they would engage with customers and suppliers to fulfil outstanding orders where possible.

Timeline and what happens next

Putting the events side by side shows how the two cases differ. Raleigh’s filing sits at Accell group level. Ceco’s closure followed its parent’s administration by about three weeks.

For Raleigh, the next step is the naming of administrators, who would then decide whether to sell the brand, its assets or parts of the group. Administration List said any deal would mainly involve brand rights, distribution relationships and possibly the group’s Eastwood office, not a factory. For Ceco, Interpath said it will explore options for the brand and assets “in due course”.

Your questions answered

What happened to Raleigh bikes?

Its owner, Accell UK and Ireland, filed to appoint administrators after failing to find a way to continue the group in its current form, according to Administration List.

Is Raleigh in administration?

A filing to appoint administrators has been made, but no administrators had been named when it was reported. Check the Companies House record for the current status.

Which bike companies have gone bust?

The sources name only Accell UK and Ireland, whose brands include Raleigh, Haibike, Winora and Ghost. They do not report any other bike company failures.