An online clothing retailer which has ties to North Yorkshire and the North East has announced its upcoming closure after revealing its struggles through an emotional online statement. 

Bearhug Company Ltd, who are based in Stokesley, was set up in 2010 by Luke Dixon and his wife Noelle, as an opportunity to exhibit Luke's artwork printed on clothing. 

The online retailer, which sells t-shirts, hoodies, prints, accessories and other clothing items, has enjoyed more than a decade of running the business - but has now announced that it has become "difficult" to keep the company running. 

Despite revealing twice previously that they would be winding down operations at its Stokesley-based HQ, the owners of Bearhug Company Ltd posted a message online - highlighting that they wished to "go out on top" and that the past few years had been difficult ones. 

The post, which cites its previous announcement in 2023 that it would be closing, starts by saying: "After 14 years, we find ourselves at the same point as last year. 

"Earlier today, with even heavier hearts, Noelle and I made the tough decision to restart the process of closing The Bearhug Company Ltd permanently."

The post goes on to cite its previous attempt to stay open in 2023 after receiving a large number of orders off the back of saying it would close. 

 The statement goes on to say: "We eventually decided to outsource the production and logistics to see if we could find a sustainable solution. 

"Unfortunately this shift led to the gutting tough decision to let our remaining team members go."

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Despite admitting that the new system is "working well", the statement goes on to add that the company want to "bow out like an old goose" and "avoids damaging the brand we've worked hard to build."

Bearhug Company Ltd will now wind down operations by next week - and has promised that this closure will be permanent, before the statement concluded by thanking its supporters.

On social media, Bearhug Company have over 110,000 followers on Instagram - with the business having thousands of messages of support since putting out its announcement online.