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Deloitte, administrator for HMV, has announced that 66 of the retailer’s stores are set to close down over the next two months.
The administrator announced the closures this morning, shortly after informing store staff of its intentions to close the stores.
It is believed that 930 staff are set to lose their jobs as the selected stores are closed down.
Deloitte has confirmed to PCR that whilst 66 stores are set to close down, the process is set to take place over the next two month’s and stores will continue to trade in the meantime.
Nick Edwards, Joint Administrator, commented: “As part of our on-going review of HMV’s financial position, we have now completed a review of the store portfolio and have identified 66 loss making stores for closure. This step has been taken in order to enhance the prospects of securing the business’ future as a going concern."
“We continue to receive strong support from staff and are extremely grateful to them for their commitment during an understandably difficult period. All other key stakeholders remain very supportive and I continue to be hopeful of securing a future for the restructured business.”
The news is largely unsurprising, as Deloitte announced earlier in the week it would begin to identify potential stores for closure.
The move was widely expected as the administrator continues to find potential buyers for the business, with Hilco, owner of HMV Canada, still leading the race for taking on the brand.
Whilst the closures are certainly a blow to the brand, the closures are not as significant as first feared, as the brand will remain on UK High Street’s – all be it in a diminished presence.
Today’s cuts are the latest for HMV, which laid off 190 staff from its head offices and distribution locations across the UK.
Check below for a full list of the stores set to close.
Ashton-under-Lyne, Ballymena, Barnsley, Bayswater, Belfast Boucher Road, Belfast Forestside, Bexleyheath, Birkenhead, Birmingham Fort, Blackburn, Boston, Bournemouth Castlepoint, Bracknell, Burton-upon-Trent, Camberley, Chesterfield, Coleraine, Craigavon, Croydon Centrale, Derry, Dumfries, Durham, Edinburgh Fort, Edinburgh Gyle Centre, Edinburgh Ocean, Edinburgh Princes Street, Edinburgh St James, Falkirk, Fulham, Glasgow – Fort, Glasgow – Silverburn, Glasgow Braehead, Huddersfield, Kirkcaldy, Leamington Spa, Leeds White Rose, Lisburn, Loughborough, Luton, Manchester 90, Moorgate, Newry, Newtonabbey, Orpington, Rochdale, Scunthorpe, South Shields, Speke Park, St Albans, St Helens, Stockton-on-Tees, Tamworth, Teesside, Telford, Trocadero, Wakefield, Walsall, Walton-on-Thames, Wandsworth, Warrington, Watford, Wellingborough, Wigan, Wood Green, Workington, Wrexham.
UPDATE: HMV has announced 60 further redundancies across its head office operations, with CEO Trevor Moore ‘asked to leave’ as part of the fresh wave of job cuts. Check the latest story here.
