Retail and hospitality businesses have entered 2026 under sustained financial pressure, with tight margins, rising employment costs and high levels of distress continuing from previous years. Hopes for any ‘green shoots’ in 2026 have been dashed by the effects of the Middle East conflict, driving renewed energy price volatility, supply chain risk and a further squeeze on consumer confidence. Against that backdrop, in this article for Recovery magazine (PDF available here), we look at the key legal and procedural developments shaping restructurings in the retail and hospitality sectors, including recent case law on restructuring plans, the potential re‑emergence of CVAs, the role of the moratorium as a breathing‑space tool, and the growing impact of employment law risk on distressed outcomes.
This article appeared in the Spring 2026 edition of Recovery magazine and is reproduced with the permission of R3 Association of Business Recovery Professionals and Think.
