Shutters come down on BHS

Store to cease trading on Saturday after more than a decade at County Square retail centre

The end is near for Ashford BHS, which is set to close this Saturday.

The County Square store will shut its doors for the final time after more than a decade in the shopping centre.

Last month, administrators announced they had failed to find a buyer for the ailing retail chain, and would be closing all 163 stores. Other sites to close include Gravesend, Hempstead Valley, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, with the loss of more than 11,000 jobs.

When the company went into administration in April, adminis- trator Duff and Phelps said multiple offers were received but none were able to complete a deal that met the capital needs of the business, which has a pension deficit of more than £570 million.

Joint administrator Philip Duffy said: “The British high street is changing and in these turbulent times BHS has fallen as another victim of the seismic shifts we are seeing.

“The tireless work and goodwill of the existing management team and employees of BHS with the support of my team were not enough to change the fortunes of the company.”

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) said it was “deeply saddened” BHS stores were beginning to close.

Dave Gill, national officer of Usdaw, which has more than 440,000 members, said: “We are saddened to hear the administrators for BHS have announced they are closing 20 stores, which will impact around 600 staff.

“We hope that other retailers, including Sir Phillip Green’s Arcadia group, will offer employment to these experienced, dedicated and loyal staff who suddenly find themselves unemployed.

“We believe there is hope for the remaining stores with the administrators continuing to seek buyers, and we are still waiting to hear the details of Sir Phillip’s offer to ‘sort’ the pension scheme.”

Mr Gill added: “In the meantime we are providing the support, advice and representation our members require at this difficult time.”

‘BHS is another victim of the seismic shifts we are seeing on the high street’

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Everything must go at BHS this week as the retailer prepares to say farewell to Ashford