The Wokingham branch of national chain Carpetright has closed its doors for the final time.
The unit in Bridge Retail Park, Finchampstead Road, was not included in the sale of a number of outlets to competitor Tapi Carpets and Floors, which was announced yesterday (Monday).
The Wokingham location has already been earmarked for the new location of a McDonald’s restaurant.
A statement from PwC, the appointed administrators, said: “Carpetright is a British retail chain selling carpets, flooring and beds, and is a subsidiary of Nestware Holdings Ltd.
“Founded in 1988, the company operates across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
“Headquartered in Purfleet, Essex, it has 273 stores and 1,898 employees.”
It added that a total of 1,018 employees will be made redundant.
Zelf Hussain, joint administrator, said: “Carpetright has fallen victim to challenges facing many retailers, especially those selling big ticket items.
“A mixture of factors, including a big reduction in consumer spending due to cost of living pressures, lower home sales and a debilitating cyber attack made it impossible for the business to continue in its current form.
“The sale of some stores and the brand to Tapi has allowed over 300 jobs to be saved, and gives the Carpetright brand the chance to continue and flourish under its new ownership.
“However, it is deeply saddening that for the remainder of the workforce there will be redundancies.
“We are committed to helping those affected and will make sure redundancy claims are processed as quickly as possible.
“In collaboration with Tapi, we will assist in efforts to help individuals find new jobs elsewhere.
“We know this is an uncertain time for many of those affected and want to thank all the staff for the support they have given the company in these difficult circumstances.”
For outstanding orders made through stores included in the sale, further guidance can be found on this website.
Orders placed with stores including Wokingham are unable to be fulfilled, and it is recommended that affected customers contact their payment card provider about the possibility of obtaining a refund.
