Allders Bids In Place

The Allders department store chain is to be broken up, administrator Kroll has confirmed. Kroll, which set a final deadline of last Friday for bids for all or part of the 45 store chain, confirmed that "whilst we had hoped to secure a going concern sale for the entire business this has not been possible."

Firm bids are in place for 35 stores, with rival department store group Debenhams, discount fashion retailer Primark, and Bhs and Arcadia owner Philip Green reported to have joined forces to table a joint offer for the lion's share of the stores.

Allders operates a mix of full-line department stores and around 20 smaller homeware-only stores, which would be split between the three operators. However, Kroll has not said who the buyers are. Kroll said: "We expect that staff at these stores will transfer to the purchasers and believe that, in the present circumstances, this strategy will provide the optimum outcome for both creditors and employees."

Closing down sales have started at the 10 stores for which "limited interest" has been received. These include the Oxford Street store, opened just over two years ago, and the Leeds branch. The others are the stores at Ipswich, Bolton, Chelmsford, Romford, Horsham, Kingston-upon-Thames, and Clifton Moor in York. Up to 700 jobs are potentially at risk at these 10 stores, although Kroll is still willing to consider offers.