Nearly 400 Jane Norman jobs go

Jane Norman, which employs 1,600 staff, shut its 94 stores and appointed Zolfo Cooper as administrator yesterday after it became the latest victim of the squeeze in consumer spending.

Zolfo said today it had been unable to find a new owner for 33 stores, impacting on 290 jobs, while 106 positions at its London head office will also be axed.

However, it has agreed to sell 33 stores to knitwear retailer Edinburgh Woollen Mill under a “pre-pack” deal that will see the Jane Norman name survive on the high street and will save 396 jobs at the shops in question.

Edinburgh is also in discussions with Zolfo about buying a further 28 stores in a move that could save hundreds more jobs.

In the meantime, the group’s 95 concessions, which are mainly in department store chain Debenhams, will continue to trade while the administrator talks to the retailer about a possible sale.

If Debenhams decides to buy the concessions, it could save a further 496 jobs.

Some of the staff at the head office and Coventry warehouse are being kept on for the time being as the company prepares to wind down.