Threat to 3,800 as shoe giant in administration

NEARLY 4,000 jobs are under threat after the owner of shoe shops Barratts and Priceless Shoes went into administration.

The failure of the Bradford-based chain Barratts Priceless, which has 191 stores in the UK, has been blamed on the tough economic climate. Administrator Deloitte said it will continue to trade the stores while it seeks a buyer for all or parts of the business.

There are around 3,840 staff working in 191 stores and 371 concessions across the UK. There are 17 stores in Yorkshire, including shops in Leeds, Harrogate, York and Doncaster.

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Deloitte restructuring partner Daniel Butters said: “Barratts and Priceless Shoes have faced a downturn in trading as a result of the difficult economic conditions.

“This has been exacerbated by the unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks which resulted in fewer sales across winter lines.”

It is the second time that the business has been put into administration.

Michael Ziff, chairman of Barratts Priceless parent company Stylo, bought 160 shops from Deloitte after the chains were put into administration in 2009. At the time, Deloitte closed 220 stores but Mr Ziff was able to safeguard around 3,000 jobs.

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Nick Bubb, a retail analyst at Arden Partners, said: “They were competing with the supermarkets and clothing retailers such as New Look and River Island.

“Footwear is also increasingly bought with clothing now and it’s part of an ongoing structural trend. It’s down to a combination of competition and the economy.”

Barratts joins a list of retail failures this year that includes TJ Hughes, Jane Norman, Alexon, Habitat UK and Focus DIY. Blacks Leisure, which owns the Millets chain, put itself up for sale on Wednesday to save the loss-making business from collapse.

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