Region bears the brunt of Ethel Austin store closures

MORE than a third of the 129 store closures announced by the administrators of stricken discount clothing chain Ethel Austin are based in the North West.

The ailing Merseyside-based company, which yesterday axed more than 460 jobs at its Knowsley HQ and distribution base, said 46 shops in the region were being closed down.

More than a dozen of these are in Merseyside, where stores in Liverpool and on the Wirral are to shut. Stores in towns across the region are affected from Barrow in the north to Congleton in the south.

Administrators MCR did not specify how many jobs would be lost, or when the loss-making shops would close for the last time.

Geoff Bouchier, partner at MCR, said: “MCR is now conducting a parallel strategy. All stores are to enter into a sale campaign commencing tomorrow while we continue to seek a purchaser for the Companies businesses.”

The rest of the group’s 300-strong network of stores will continue to trade while the administrators look for a buyer.

The chains employ more than 3,700 people between them.

Ethel Austen and its sister homewares chain Au Naturale went into administration on Monday.

This is the second time in three years that the company has failed.

It was bought out of administration in May 2008 by former MK One chief executive Elaine McPherson, who has reportedly pumped more than £5m of her own money into the business.