Administrators for discount department store chain TJ Hughes have closed the firm's Liverpool warehouse distribution centre making most of the workers redundant.
Staff were informed last Friday and 116 of the 132 employees at the centre were made redundant with immediate effect.

A statement released by administrators Ernst & Young on Friday said: "The redundant employees are being provided with assistance to recover their statutory payments for redundancy and payment in lieu of notice together with information on how to claim jobseekers allowance and other benefits."

The firm says it continues to search for a buyer for the business. However, earlier this month sold the retailer's debts to GA Europe who immediately began to liquidate the stock in the chain's 56 stores. Ernst & Young said that the move did not "impact on the administration strategy".

TJ Hughes called in administrators last month having struggled to halt declines, which saw the business make a £10m loss in 2010.

A creditors list is not yet available and it is as yet unclear as to whether any distribution will be made if and when a sale is secured. Speaking at the time of their appointment, Joint administrators Tom Jack and Simon Allport of Ernst & Young said: "It is likely to be several months before the company's assets are fully realised and unsecured claims start to be formally agreed. It is therefore too early to estimate whether there will eventually be sufficient funds to enable a distribution to unsecured creditors."