Restructuring specialist Hilco has been drafted in to close Birthdays and Clintons stores

Hilco run the shutdown of collapsed greetings card retailer Clinton Cards’ stores earmarked for closure. At present, 350 shops out of a 750-store estate are to be shuttered.

On Wednesday Retail-Week.com reported Zolfo Cooper will close 44 stores across the next week, putting 300 full-time and part-time jobs at risk.

More closures are likely in the coming weeks because the entire Birthdays chain has been consigned to the grave.

Second round bidding for the Clinton Cards business is scheduled to start next week. It is thought likely that supplier American Greetings, which forced Clinton’s adminsitration, will end up controlling the business.