HUNDREDS of Toys’R’Us staff in Scotland face redundancy within six weeks as the US toy giant closes all UK branches.
The company’s 100-branch British network – including 11 Scottish sites – is to cease trading after efforts to find a buyer failed.
Outlets in East Kilbride, Kirkcaldy and Livingston are already closed, with others in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling to follow.
As many as 3000 jobs will be lost unless a deal can be struck to rescue parts of the business.
Administrators Moorfields Advisory said they remain “open to interest from potential buyers”.
Simon Thomas, joint administrator and partner at Moorfields, said: “We have made every effort to secure a buyer for all or part of the company’s business.
“This process attracted some interest, but ultimately no party has been able to move forward with a formal bid prior to the expiration of the stated deadline.”
He went on: “It is therefore with great regret that we have made the difficult decision to make a number of positions redundant at the company’s head office in Maidenhead and proceed with a controlled store closure programme.
“We are grateful for the hard work of Toys’R’Us staff during this difficult period and will be providing support where we can to those who have been made redundant.”
Redundancy processes are under way at the toy chain, which recorded operating losses of £500,000 on sales of £418 million in 2016.
Closing down sales have now begun, while trading has been suspended on its online arm. In a statement on the website, the company referred to available discounts as “a toy lover’s dream”.
Tough competition from online rivals is said to have contributed to its struggles, while bankruptcy proceedings in the US left the toy company’s parent firm unable to provide loans to keep the UK subsidiary afloat.
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