At Wednesday it was announced that more than 2,500 staff at discount fashion chain What Everyone Wants are to lose their jobs after administrators failed to find a buyer following a six-week search. The Glasgow-based operator of 130 stores generated turnover of GBP 95 million last year but will close its doors for good in the next few months after falling victim to tight margins and severe competition shortly before Christmas.

Administrator Tom Burton of Ernst & Young, said the clothing firm had worked hard to find a buyer and he "deeply regretted" the redundancies."We pulled out all the stops, issuing 90 sales packs to all those expressing an interest in the business, but it became increasingly apparent the prospect of selling the chain in its entirety was becoming remote," he said.

What Everyone Wants and off-price shoe chain The Famous Brunswick Warehouse were put into administration by owner Tradegro UK in early December only a month after it had bought them from Brown & Jackson as part of a larger deal.Mr Burton did not say whether he had found a buyer for The Famous Brunswick Warehouse which employs around 750 people at nearly 70 stores.

January 24, 2002