160 jobs go as Home Center Retail closes

HOME Center Retail (HCR), the company which took on more than half of the Textiles Direct homewares retail chain last year, has closed down.

All 35 shops across the North West shut before New Year with the loss of 160 jobs.

Kevin Lucas of Altrincham insolvency firm Lucas Johnson is due to be appointed liquidator on January 17.

Oldham-based Textiles Direct went into administration in March but 35 of its 53 shops were picked up by HCR. It was incorporated early last year by Mohammad Akbar who was also a director of Textiles Direct supplier SHF (Luton) which held a floating charge over the business and was owed £1.5m.

Mr Lucas said: “Trading has remained tough in the soft furnishings sector. This has been compounded by the long-term position for retailers regarding business rates which are exceptionally high given the low margins they operate at.”