La Senza to close 80 shops

Thousands of shop workers are starting the new year with the prospect of losing their job. The high street is awash with a wave of failures, with Barratt's and D2 in administration and La Senza closing 80 shops. Analysts predict up to 40,000 could

lose jobs as lingerie chain joins list of those struggling to contain their debts. KPMG, which is working on an emergency rescue for La Senza, announced this weekend that more than 80 of its stores would close, which is likely to result in many hundreds of layoffs. La Senza's website showed a list of branches destined for the chop, including those in major cities such as Bristol, Cambridge and Edinburgh.

2012 could be 'disastrous' for retail sector, warn analysts. More shop closures and failures are predicted amid weak consumer spending and the continued march of the internet.The high street reckoning will continue into 2012 amid weak consumer spending and structural change.

In 2011, it may have seemed as if an entire shopping parade's worth of chains disappeared. But with little or no sales growth predicted in 2012 and competition from the internet and supermarkets intensifying, the bell is ringing for "round two of retail Darwinism", says Bryan Roberts, retail analyst at Kantar Worldpanel.

Image: La Senza