Patrick Lewis’s career at Made.com got off to an inauspicious start. Just as the former John Lewis executive took over as Made’s chief financial officer on June 27, he was struck down by Covid for a fortnight.

Then, a week after he returned to work, Lewis had to deliver a profit warning. For him and Made, things quickly went from bad to worse. A sharp slowdown in sales, surging costs and an ill-judged decision to tie up cash in stock have pushed the online furniture retailer to the brink of collapse.

This weekend, high street giants Next and Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group are among a handful of bidders tussling to salvage something from the wreckage. Consultants from PwC are racing to secure a rescue deal

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