Scots clothing chain M&Co at risk of shutdown as firm enters administration

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Scots clothing chain M&Co has entered administration, sparking fears of store closures and job losses across the UK. The firm, which began life as Mackays pawnbrokers, has appointed three representatives from Teneo Financial Advisory Limited as joint administrators following a period of difficult trading and a "decline in consumer confidence".

Teneo has insisted no jobs will be lost immediately, Aberdeen Live reports, and both the company's 45 Scottish stores and its website will continue trading.

News of the company's precarious situation - the second such time it has been put up for sale in three years - was first reported by fashion magazine Drapers.

At present, M&Co has around 180 stores across the UK, many serving as fixtures of local high streets. A spokesman for Teneo told Drapers: "Like many retailers, the company has experienced a sharp rise in its input costs, which has coincided with a decline in consumer confidence leading to increased pressure on cash flows and trading losses."No immediate redundancies have been made and the joint administrators are exploring a potential sale of the business in an accelerated timeframe, during which time the company will continue to trade from its stores and website."Reports in local media across the country suggest a number of stores have already closed their doors for good, including the chain's store in Inverurie.