Hundreds more jobs cut at bust wholesaler

HUNDREDS more staff have been laid off at collapsed wholesaler Palmer & Harvey after efforts to sell what remained of the business failed.

Administrators at PwC said they had been trying to sell subsidiaries including P&H Direct Van Sales, P&H Sweetdirect and P&H Snacksdirect.

But they failed to find a buyer, with 404 staff across the country told over the weekend they would be losing their jobs. It comes after 2,500 jobs were cut last month as the company went into administration. About 450 are still employed by P&H to help wind down its activities, a spokesman for PwC said.

P&H collapsed in November after running out of cash under the weight of heavy losses and debt despite rescue talks with US private equity firm Carlyle Group.