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HMV announces 66 store closures

By | Published on Thursday 7 February 2013

HMV

Here it is people, the first list of HMV stores in the UK to be closed following the retailer’s fall into administration last month. Administrators Deloitte announced the closure of 66 loss-making stores this morning, which will result in the loss of 930 jobs. Staff were informed of the decision shortly before the closures were made public.

As expected, the stores won’t close immediately, but closures will take place over a two-month period, allowing for closing down sales. Although a significant axing, and clearly a major blow for those working at one of the axed stores, the number of units closed is less than expected. It’s not clear yet if further closures will be announced, though it may be that will depend on the wishes of Hilco, who are expected to buy the HMV business and bring it out of administration as a streamlined going concern.

Joint Administrator Nick Edwards told reporters: “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’s 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 list of stores to close is as follows: Ashton-under-Lyne, Ballymena, Barnsley, 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, London Bayswater, London Moorgate, London Trocadero, London Wandsworth, London Wood Green, Loughborough, Luton, Manchester Market Street, Newry, Newtonabbey, Orpington, Rochdale, Scunthorpe, South Shields, Speke Park, St Albans, St Helens, Stockton-on-Tees, Tamworth, Teesside, Telford, Wakefield, Walsall, Walton-on-Thames, Warrington, Watford, Wellingborough, Wigan, Workington, Wrexham.



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