Administrator Deloitte has announced plans to close 66 HMV stores over the next two months.
The move to streamline the UK entertainment retail group, which went into administration in mid-January after 91 years in business, will result in the loss of around 930 jobs, the Daily Mail reports.
HMV said in an update on its Facebook page: “This decision has not been taken lightly and, though very sad and regrettable, it is necessary to give HMV the best possible chance of emerging from administration and having a future on the high street.
“We'd like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of affected colleagues, who continue to work with great passion and dedication, and this decision in no way reflects on their considerable efforts on behalf of HMV.
“We also sincerely thank our customers in these locations for their valued support over many years, who we hope will continue to shop at HMV.”
The affected shops will continue trading but the first closures are expected in about a month's time. The following stores have been earmarked for closure:
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Ballymena
- Barnsley
- Bayswater
- Belfast Boucher Road
- Belfast Forestside, Bexleyheath
- Birkenhead
- Birmingham Fort
- Blackburn, Boston
- Bournemouth Castlepoint
- Bracknell
- Burton-upon-Trent
- Camberley
- Chesterfield
- Coleraine
- Craigavon
- Croydon Centrale
- Derry
- Dumfries, Durham
- Edinburgh Fort
- Edinburgh Gyle Centre
- Edinburgh Ocean
- Edinburgh Princes Street
- Edinburgh St James
- Falkirk, Fulham
- Glasgow Fort
- Glasgow Silverburn
- Glasgow Braehead
- Huddersfield
- Kirkcaldy
- Leamington Spa
- Leeds White Rose
- Lisburn
- Loughborough,
- Luton
- Manchester 90
- Moorgate
- Newry
- Newtonabbey
- Orpington
- Rochdale
- Scunthorpe
- South Shields
- Speke Park
- St Albans
- St Helens
- Stockton-on-Tees
- Tamworth
- Teesside
- Telford
- Trocadero
- Wakefield
- Walsall
- Walton-on-Thames
- Wandsworth
- Warrington
- Watford
- Wellingborough
- Wigan
- Wood Green
- Workington
- Wrexham
