140 staff axed as clothing chain collapses into administration

Leeds-based 2nd Thoughts, which trades as the Ellie Louise and Happit chain of clothing stores in England and Scotland, had struggled to cope with the recession.

The company, launched more than 30 years ago by Mick Broughton, sold mainly budget womenswear and had its headquarters and warehouse in Garforth near Leeds.

In June 2008, 2nd Thoughts acquired the Dunfermline-based fashion chain Happit, which had 40 shops in Scotland.

At the time it went into administration, the group had 82 stores nationwide, including 12 in Yorkshire, and a turnover of 14m a year.

Bob Maxwell and Edward Klempka of business rescue, recovery and restructuring specialist Begbies Traynor, have been appointed joint administrators.

Mr Maxwell said: "Twenty-nine stores have been closed resulting in a total of 140 redundancies at the stores and at head office. However, 53 stores will remain open and we are actively seeking a sale of the business as a going concern in order to safeguard the remaining 270 jobs."

In Yorkshire, the Pudsey and Shipley stores have closed which, together with redundancies at the Leeds head office, account for 24 job losses. In Scotland, 14 stores have closed resulting in 60 job losses. The rest are at 13 English stores.