4,000 jobs at risk as High Street shoe chains Barratts and Priceless collapse into administration

Nearly 4,000 jobs were under threat today after the owner of shoe shops Barratts and Priceless Shoes collapsed into administration.

The failure of the Bradford-based chain Barratts Priceless, which has 191 stores in the UK, followed unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks, which exacerbated already difficult trading conditions.

It is yet more bloodshed for the high street after Blacks Leisure, which owns Millets, put itself up for sale after its share price collapsed yesterday.

The next couple of months are also critical for embattled retailers HMV, JJB Sports, and Game Group, who are all struggling in the wake of tumbling consumer confidence.


The past two years has seen a string of retail failures including TJ Hughes, Jane Norman, Alexon, Habitat UK and Focus DIY.     Full Read