Dr Martens considers a makeover as staff get boot

It would send Sid Vicious into a spin, inspire Alexei Sayle to rant and enrage any dedicated skinhead – Dr Martens is considering going light and girly to try to attract sorely needed sales.

With the closure of its second factory in seven months, the company which launched the ultimate anti-establishment footwear announced yesterday that it was in trouble and calling in the men in suits.

As it was forced to lay off 124 staff, on top of the 175 who lost their jobs in December, the loss-making Doc Martens manufacturer has hired KPMG consultants to "try and turn around its fortunes". In an effort to counter plunging sales, R Griggs, the family group behind the world famous boot, is considering a lighter range aimed at women, rather than the heavy rubber sole, and moving some of its production overseas.

The original air-cushioned boots, designed by the German doctor Klaus Maertens in 1945 after injuring his foot while skiing, were launched in this country by Bill Griggs 15 years later, carving an iconic niche among several generations.

But sales have been plummeting and with two-thirds of its trade aimed at the United States, the company has been hit by the post 11 September downturn. It is expecting sales to be well down on the 5 million pairs sold last year.

Yesterday, the R Griggs Group announced that it would be closing its Wellingborough factory in Northamptonshire with the loss of 94 jobs as well as shedding 30 more elsewhere. While manufacturing continues at plants in North-amptonshire and Leicestershire, R Griggs conceded it was considering moving some production abroad. A factory in Somerset closed in December.

"We want to remain competitive in the global market and sales have been dropping. But R Griggs is a British company and we want to keep it that way," said spokeswoman Pauliina Hakulinen.

While shareholders Max and Stephen Griggs – listed as the 20th richest people in fashion with an estimated fortune of £99m in this year's Sunday Times Rich List – remain loyal to the brand, the group suffered losses of £20.5m in 2000-01.

The company secretary William Johnson said yesterday: "Current trading conditions remain difficult, but we have a new management team in place and we are and conducting a global review."