Swathe of store closures after administrator Kroll gets little buyer interest
A total of 18 Allders stores will have closed by the end of this month, bringing 1,089 job losses at the retailer and carrying the total jobs lost to 1,850.

Administrator Kroll had hoped to protect staff, but admitted that interest in the chain from potential buyers had been poor, making the closures necessary.

'It is disappointing that a solution could not be found that would have safeguarded the jobs of Allders' employees at these stores, but unfortunately we have received limited interest from buyers,' said a Kroll spokesman.

Following the sale last month of 24 Allders stores in prime locations to Debenhams, Bhs and Primark, there were 21 stores left operating under the Allders fascia. Of these, 13 stopped trading this week, among them the Oxford Street store (pictured) opened just three years ago on the site of the former C&A store at Marble Arch in London. A further five stores will close by the end of this month, after which only three Allders stores will remain.

Debenhams said it would open eight former-Allders stores by the beginning of next month, with plans to refurbish them by the end of July.