Hope for Comet staff as entrepreneur Clive Coombes expresses interested in acquiring up to 180 stores

Entrepreneur Clive Coombes is in talks with administrator Deloitte about a possible deal to take up to 180 Comet stores.

Coombes is a consultant at CC Business Angels, a firm specialising in business turnarounds, according to The Sun.

The 43-year old’s team, which is backed by “private individuals”, is using a company called Meridian Wholesale to front the bid.

Coombes told The Sun he is convinced he can make a success of Comet, which then owner OpCapita placed into administration last month threatening up to 6,600 jobs.

He said: “I don’t know if OpCapita really tried, to be honest.

“We would cut down the distribution depots and trim the top levels of management.

“My message to staff? I’d tell them there’s a little bit of hope.”

Sources close to Deloitte said the company is working to determine how “credible” the offer actually is.