Five Alworths stores have closed after the ‘son of Woolworths’ chain collapsed last month.

Shops have closed in New Haven in East Sussex, Llandudno in North Wales, Alloa in Scotland, New Milton in Hampshire and Didcot in Oxfordshire. The chain’s first store was Didcot, which opened in November 2009.

It now has 12 shops left trading. There is said to be interest from other retailers in acquiring the stores, although it is unclear if there is any interest in the business as a going concern.

Leonard Curtis was appointed administrator last month to Alworths, which was set up by the former head of store and concession development Andy Latham in the wake of Woolies’ collapse

At the time of the collapse, first revealed by Retail Week, Leonard Curtis administrator Neil Bennett said: “This is a business that operates in a very competitive market that has been badly affected by the recent downturn in consumer confidence experienced on the UK High Street.”