MALVERN’s Countrywide store has closed its doors for good after administrators failed to find a buyer to take on the ailing firm’s site in the town.
Administrators at KPMG have confirmed the Malvern store isn’t among the 14 sold, safeguarding a total of 169 jobs.
A total of 208 people have been made redundant at the company’s headquarters in Evesham, the Defford logistics centre and stores which have closed.
As the Observer first reported last April, company bosses announced they intended to sell the business after the firm made a loss after tax of £9.9million last year.
The 14 stores, which are in locations around the UK, have been sold to various farming and agricultural store operators.
A total of 169 Countrywide Farmers employees have transferred to the respective owners of the stores in which they work.
Malvern’s store has now closed its doors and David Pike, partner at KPMG and joint administrator said the remaining unsold stores would close for the final time on Sunday.
“We are pleased we have been able to trade the stores for this duration to allow the successful sales to take place.
“We’d like to thank every employee for the support and professionalism they have provided to the company, both before and during the administration.”
