Walsall wine merchant buys Oddbins stores

WALSALL-based wine merchants European Food Brokers has bought 37 shops previously owned by failed chain Oddbins.

The shops, none of which are in the West Midlands, will come under Whittalls Wine Merchants, a subsidiary of EFB which is owned by Raj Chatha.

The remaining 52 Oddbins stores are still under the control of administrators Deloitte after it collapsed earlier this month.

Around 200 jobs in the shops have been saved as a result of the buyout package, according to Deloitte.

The company added that it was currently engaged in a range of discussions regarding the sale of Oddbins’ remaining units and were confident of an imminent deal.

The insolvency team at Shoosmiths advised Whittalls Wine Merchants parent EFB Retail on the deal.

Oddbins had 89 stores across the UK and Ireland and employed around 400 people.

It had planned to restructure its debts through a company voluntary agreement but the company did not receive the full support of all its creditors.

Deloitte said that it was left with no option but to enter into administration on April 4.

Of the stores bought out by EFB, 20 are in London, 10 are in Scotland and the remaining seven are located throughout England.