Empire Direct closes stores

Electrical goods company Empire Direct has gone into administration, closing its Merry Hill store and shedding almost half its 350 staff.

Falling sales as a result of the credit crunch have been blamed for the collapse.

Empire, which trades extensively on the internet, has closed its 14 stores nationally. Administrators from KPMG have made 158 people redundant. The chain's collapse has left some customers waiting for goods that may never arrive.

Mark Firmin, joint administrator and KPMG restructuring partner, said: "We are working hard with the remaining employees to establish a list of customers with outstanding orders.

"Within the first few weeks of the administration, we are aiming to contact all customers who have paid for goods that they have not received. Empire Direct has been severely affected by the economic downturn and experienced a significant reduction in sales from the middle of last year."

The company had been established for 25 years and marketed itself as the UK's largest independent retailer of electrical goods with a turnover of £150 million.

Anyone who has paid for but not received an item should contact the administrator by visiting www. empiredirect.co.uk or calling 0871 472 900.