HMV Axes 66 Stores With 930 Jobs Lost

Administrators of troubled music retailer HMV have confirmed that 66 of its 220 stores are facing closure in the next “one or two months.”

The closures will put a total of 930 jobs at risk across the UK, Deloitte has said.

The news comes a week after 190 jobs were lost at HMV’s head office and distribution centre, prompting one member of staff to live Tweet about the “mass execution of loyal employees.” The Tweets were later deleted.

HMV, which entered administration last month, has 220 stores across the UK. The 66 axed outlets, listed below, will continue to trade as usual until their closure.

Restructuring specialist Hilco has bought HMV’s debts paving the way for full ownership of the company.

Nick Edwards, joint administrator at Deloitte, said: "This step has been taken in order to enhance the prospects of securing the business' future as a going concern.

"We continue to receive strong support from staff and are extremely grateful to them for their commitment during an understandably difficult period. All other key stakeholders remain very supportive and I continue to be hopeful of securing a future for the restructured business."

According to the BBC, the axed stores are as follows:

England: Ashton-under-Lyne, Barnsley, Bayswater, Bexleyheath, Birkenhead, Birmingham Fort, Blackburn, Boston, Bournemouth Castlepoint, Bracknell, Burton-upon-Trent, Camberley, Chesterfield, Croydon Centrale, Durham, Fulham, Huddersfield, Leamington Spa, Leeds White Rose, Loughborough, Luton, Manchester 90, Moorgate, Orpington, Rochdale, Scunthorpe, South Shields, Speke Park, St Albans, St Helens, Stockton-on-Tees, Tamworth, Teesside, Telford, Trocadero, Wakefield, Walsall, Walton-on-Thames, Wandsworth, Warrington, Watford, Wellingborough, Wigan, Wood Green, Workington

Scotland: Dumfries, Edinburgh Fort, Edinburgh Gyle Centre, Edinburgh Ocean, Edinburgh Princes Street, Edinburgh St James, Falkirk, Glasgow - Fort, Glasgow - Silverburn, Glasgow Braehead, Kirkcaldy

Northern Ireland: Ballymena, Belfast Boucher Road, Belfast Forestside, Coleraine, Craigavon, Derry, Lisburn, Newry, Newtownabbey

Wales: Wrexham