All staff at a business founded by Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies have been made redundant after the company entered liquidation.
Workers at Crafter’s Companion, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, were told the devastating news during a face-to-face meeting with the TV entrepreneur on Monday (October 19).
The cuts affect all 42 staff at the Horndale Avenue headquarters, as well as 16 workers at the company’s store in Evesham, near Worcester.
Crafter’s Companion HQ in Newton Aycliffe (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
The announcement follows months of upheaval, including job losses, a warehouse closure and a new partnership with jewellery and craft retailer Gemporia.
Sara told The Northern Echo that Crafter’s Companion went into liquidation after talks to merge it with Gemporia, one of its biggest UK customers.
Gemporia’s board decided the businesses could operate under one trading entity, making the existing Crafter’s Companion company redundant.
“Ever since I came back to Crafter’s Companion a year ago, I worked to try and make it a stable entity,” she said.
Sara Davies outside the Crafter’s Companion Newton Aycliffe HQ (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
“Gemporia are our biggest customers in the UK, and we secured a partnership together.
“We wanted Crafter’s Companion and the wider group to merge with Gemporia.
“However, last week, their board found a solution that meant the best way forward was to continue with one trading entity, so they no longer needed the Crafter’s Companion head office.
“Everything happened very, very quickly.”
Sara, who founded the business while studying at university in 2005, said telling its long-serving workers they were losing their jobs was particularly difficult.
She said she wanted to tell staff personally rather than let them hear about the closure elsewhere.
Sara Davies (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
“It was heartbreaking to sit down with the staff at the company and give them the news,” she said.
“There’s a lot of people who had been with us a long time.
“People who had been there from apprenticeships or on work experience, but I’m glad I got to do it face-to-face and tell them that they now had the skills to go on elsewhere and do a great job.”
Despite the liquidation and redundancies, Sara said the Crafter’s Companion brand and website would continue.
Crafter’s Companion on Horndale Avenue (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
She said the liquidation affected the trading company, headquarters and retail operation—not the brand itself.
The liquidation is the latest blow for the Newton Aycliffe business after two years of major change.
In December 2025, Crafter’s Companion confirmed it would close its St Cuthbert’s Way warehouse after moving 60 per cent of its warehousing and fulfilment operations to the United States.
Seven employees left the business in October 2025, with a further seven leaving in January this year.
Reflecting on the company’s journey, Sara said she remained proud of what had been achieved in County Durham and insisted that her commitment to the region had not changed.
“I’m proud of what I’ve created at Crafter’s Companion, it’s a North East company made great by North East people,” she said.
“I’m always one to champion North East business, and anything that happens in the future will be done with the North East in mind.
“I’m from County Durham, still live here and want business to be here.
“I’ve had offers to take it down to London, but I’m always desperate to champion North East business.
“So while it’s very sad news at the minute, we’ll see what the future holds.”
