UK is passing through a very comfortable phase in terms of Covid-19 situation. People are feeling safer. They are permitted to go around in a group of six. Social distancing norms still apply. But offices and other places of works are opening up slowly. NHS is not under the same pressure as it was in the beginning. Death rate is coming down. Total number of corona cases are reducing. 


But the pandemic has claimed thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses in UK, almost same situation everywhere in the world. Those businesses who fail in UK go to administration for winding up. Demand has decreased and so many retail stores have closed permanently. John Lewis, Starbucks and Zara are going to close some of their stores. Some of the companies have shed off extra employees to survive. Some have scrapped bonuses. Bertram Books, a 1968 book wholesaler company which began in a chicken shed has also gone into administration, making most of its 450 workforce redundant. 


UK government had given a 25 billion pound furlough scheme to protect jobs during the lockdown. About 28 lac people had registered for out-of-work benefit under various schemes of the government by May. But as lockdown is relaxed and businesses are about to get on their feet back, some of them have announced redundancies. Harrods and Philip Green’s Arcadia Group have also cut jobs. Upper Crust, Caffe Ritazza, Bensons for Beds and Harveys are also announcing job cuts. T M Lewin, a shirt maker since 1898 is about to announce winding up its business.


Civil Aviation industry is one of the worst hit sector. Airbus may cut about 1700 positions in UK and 15,000 globally. EasyJet is about to reduce staff by 30%. 2000 people working in UK’s Royal Mail may also have to wash hands with their jobs. Financial Times has calculated total job loss in UK might be around 1 lac by big companies alone, since the beginning of pandemic. 


Though there are other good brands too, I am specifically writing about T M Lewin because its white office shirt was first one I bought in London. I always faced a problem with shirt sizes in India. If I buy a shirt of my size, its sleeve would be shorter. If I go for perfect sleeve, shoulders would drop and shirt would be loose. Perfect fitting for office shirts was always a challenge. Tailored shirts with good finishing was never found. I got it only after coming to UK. Here shirts are made in various specifications. Each shirt has not only size measurement for chest, but also has collar and sleeve sizes in centimetres. One can choose perfect combination as per requirement. Collar size comes in half centimetre difference so I can buy 15 cm or 15.5 cm. and along with that I can chose sleeve 34 cm or 35 cm in length. Varieties of collar designs are also available depending on your type of tie. Fitting is available in slim fit, extra slim, regular and some other varieties. One can also choose from different weaves like twill or oxford or other available variety. This is more than enough for a person to buy a perfect shirt. But unfortunately a shirt maker with over one and half century expertise is winding up. 

2 thoughts on “T M Lewin closing due to corona impact

  1. Nice comment Rohit ji

    T m Lewin are good shirts. You may know that these are actually made in India but under design and supervision from UK.

    My understanding was that they are closing some of their shops but not going to close completely.

    Subhash V Thakrar B com FCA FRSA

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    Vice President and Past Chairman, London Chamber of Commerce

    Founder Chairman, Charity Clarity(www.charityclarity.org.uk)

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