After several years battling for its survival Liverpool homewares retailer Taskers is to open a new Liverpool city region store in a bold bid to put its troubles behind it. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool homewares retailer Taskers is embarking on a bold new expansion plan with a return to Formby after several years fighting for its future.

Taskers closed its previous store in the town in 2017 following which it endured the most turbulent period in its history. During this time it closed two of its three large warehouse-style outlets in Liverpool.

With the rise of ecommerce hitting the family business hard, its Wavertree store closed in 2017 followed by Hunts Cross in 2024. This left just the company’s Aintree outlet and its online business.

In June 2024 Taskers was forced to enter a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), This is a legally binding agreement between a company and its creditors to pay off debts over a set period. A CVA offers struggling businesses breathing space.

In January LBN reported that Taskers, a business that opened its first store in north Liverpool in 1958, had posted its latest accounts for the 12 months to February 28, 2025. They showed revenues falling from £13.5m to £10m and pre-tax losses of just over £1m.

However, the losses were just a third of the £3m reported last year, a clear sign the company is moving in the right direction. In the report finance director Paul Schwartz said since the end of the accounting period there had been “significant increases” in sales.

Buoyed by strong signs of recovery, Tasker will open a new 8,000 sq ft home store in Formby on Thursday, August 27, and shoppers will be able to celebrate its arrival with an exclusive 10% Bank Holiday discount of every item.

Located in Altcar Road, the store will offer a range of the retailer’s furniture, lighting, pictures and mirrors, rugs and home accessories. It is taking over the former Formby Cycles premises, retaining three members of staff and creating four new jobs.

READ MORE: Luxury leather brand opening Liverpool store

Oliver Tasker, director at Taskers, said: “Returning to Formby is something we’re incredibly excited about. The new store will give us the opportunity to bring Taskers closer to customers in the area, and we’re looking forward to opening the doors and welcoming everyone in.”

Taskers, whose majority shareholder is John Tasker, enjoyed steady growth in the first few decades of its existence and became one of Merseyside’s most trusted retail brands, offering a large range of furniture and homewares.