The Body Shop, which last week announced it was in trouble, is to shut around half of its stores, starting today (February 20) and one of those closing up is at the top of Park Street in Bristol.

The company is also reducing the size of the head office, which currently employs 750 staff.

Across the UK the company, the first to put recycling and re-use of packaging at the heart of its cosmetic offering, employs around 2,200 people.

It was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon.

It comes only weeks after new owners, European private equity firm Aurelius, took control of the business.