TJ Hughes stores to close

The closing dates of 22 stores across the UK of the Liverpool-based department store group have been confirmed at the cost of just over 430 jobs in the North West.

Administrators for TJ Hughes, Ernst & Young, said closing down sales will commence immediately for all of the stores, with discounts on normal retail prices.

TJ Hughes stores in Birkenhead, Rochdale, Widnes, Bolton, Burnley, Chester, Stretford, Macclesfield and St Helens will all close in August.

On Monday, the head store in London Road, Liverpool, together with stores in Eastbourne, Glasgow and Sheffield, were all bought along with the TJ Hughes business by Liverpool-based Lewis's Home Retail.

All employees of these stores are transferring to the sister company of Benross Marketing, which is owned by the Juneja family.

Ernst & Young said joint administrators, Tom Jack and Simon Allport, continue to seek a sale of the company's remaining business and assets as a going concern, whilst also trading stock through the whole of the group's 57-store portfolio.

EY added that promotional activity is continuing in all TJ Hughes stores, with new stock being introduced from a variety of sources.

Employees affected by these closures are being offered support and advice throughout the redundancy process and Jobcentre Plus representatives are providing support to help find future employment.

Tom Jack, joint administrator at EY, said: "It is regrettable that we have had to schedule these store closures and we are extremely grateful to the employees and management at all the Group's stores, at the head office and at warehouses for their loyalty and support during what has been a very difficult and uncertain time."

"We continue in negotiations with a number of interested parties for a large number of the remaining stores in the Group's portfolio, and we are keen to stress that those stores unaffected by these closures will continue to trade for the time being, with new stock lines being added."

The 22 stores closing include: