Whittard enters administration
Whittard of Chelsea entered administration late yesterday - putting its 950 employees' jobs at risk.The tea and coffee merchant, established in 1880, was immediately snapped up by a private equity firm, however.It is currently unknown as to whether any of Whittard's 130 outlets in the UK will close, or if staff numbers will be cut.Angela Swarbrick at Ernst & Young, the firm called in when Whittard entered administration, commented: "Fortunately a deal was able to be done that sees the businesses of the companies able to continue to trade and the Whittard of Chelsea name, with its 122-year heritage, remain on the high street."Official government unemployment figures hit an eight-year high of 1.86 million earlier this month.In November, retailers Woolworths and MFI have gone bust.Both firms will disappear from the high street entirely in the New Year.
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