Zavvi redundancies top 1,000

The administrator of Zavvi today announced the immediate closure of a further 17 UK stores, with 242 employees made redundant.

MCV understands that brings the total number of people laid off since the firm went into administration to 1,137.

Administrator Ernst & Young said it ‘continues to work closely with the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payment Office and Job Centre Plus to provide support and advice to all employees made redundant, including a fast track process for paying redundancy entitlements.’

Ernst & Young closed 22 of the retailer’s UK stores on January 8th – leading to the redundancy of 178 employees, as 69 staff lost their jobs at the retailer’s London HQ.

18 stores were then closed on January 14th, with 353 employees made redundant.

And on January 29th, a further 15 stores were shut down, leading to the redundancy of 295 employees.

However, HMV has purchased 14 Zavvi stores, saving 269 jobs.

Just 31 Zavvi-branded stores now remain.

Tom Jack, Joint Administrator at Ernst & Young, said:

We will continue to trade the remaining 31 UK stores and remain hopeful that a sale of some or all of these stores can be achieved. We are in detailed discussions with two interested parties and it is our intention to continue to trade all remaining UK stores with a view to their sale as a going concern”.

We are extremely grateful to the staff and management at all stores and the head office for their fantastic support throughout this difficult time. We would like to thank Job Centre Plus and The Redundancy Payments Office for their continued support in this matter.”

The full list of stores closed today is:

Aberdeen 133 Union Street, ABERDEEN, Grampian, AB1 2BH (24 employees)

Blackpool: Unit N23 Hounds Hill, 17 Victoria Street, Blackpool, FY1 4HU (13)

Camberley (Atrium): Unit B6, The Atrium, Park Street, CAMBERLEY, Surrey, GU15 3PL (15)

Carlisle: Unit 45 The Lanes, 8 Grapes Lane, Lane Shopping Centre, CARLISLE, CA3 8EF (13)

Chester: 32-36 Foregate Street, CHESTER, Cheshire, CH1 1HA (22)

Coventry: 40-44 The Precient &, Numbers 4 and 5 Orchard Link, COVENTRY, Warwickshire, CV1 1DE (20)

Denton: Unit 17A, Crown Point North, Shopping Centre Park, Denton, MANCHESTER, M34 3JP (8)

Derby (Albion St): Unit 10 & Part Unit 9, Albion Street, DERBY, Derbyshire, DE1 2PR (13)

Harlow: Unit 1, 35 Broad Walk, HARLOW, Essex, CM20 1HU (14)

Hemel Hempstead: 44-45 The Marlowes, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, Hertfordshire (7)

Hereford: L/O Unit 1, 52 Commercial Street, Hereford, Hertfordshire, HR1 2DJ (9)

Loughborough: Unit 9, The Rushes, Fennel Street, LOUGHBOROUGH, Leicestershire, LE11 1UQ (12)

Meadowhall (Sheffield): Unit MSU 5, 28 High Street, The Meadowhall Centre, SHEFFIELD, S9 1EN (24)

Shrewsbury: 45 Pride Hill, SHREWSBURY, Shropshire, SY1 1DN (11)

Swindon: Units C114-119, Brunel Centre, SWINDON, Wiltshire, SN1 1LF (13)

Walton On Thames: Unit 21 & 22, The Heart, New Zealand Avenue, WALTON-ON-THAMES, KT12 1GH (9)

York: 15 Coney Street, YORK, North Yorkshire, YO1 1QL
(15)