The Exeter branch of Comet is to close tomorrow (Tuesday, December 18), administrators have announced.
A total of 24 staff at the store on Stone Lane Retail Park, Marsh Barton, face losing their jobs just seven days before Christmas, after weeks of uncertainty since the electricals retailer went into administration last month.
A final closing down sale is taking place, with discounts of at least 50 per cent on all items except TVs, laptops and Apple products.
Some 33 employees at the Exeter distribution hub of Comet's home delivery network have already been laid off.
The city branch is among the final batch of Comet stores to close, after attempts to find a buyer for some or all of the company's 236 outlets proved unsuccessful.
Chris Farrington, joint administrator at Deloitte, said: "We are very grateful to the company's employees for their professionalism, loyalty and support at this difficult time and employees will of course continue to be paid for all the work they do while the company is in administration."
When the administrators were appointed in November, the firm's plight was blamed on the uncertain economic environment, slow consumer spending and competition from online retailers. Fewer first-time property buyers had also led to declining sales of big ticket electrical items.
The situation became critical when Comet was unable to obtain supplier credit for the peak Christmas trading period, leaving it with no prospect of building up sufficient stock to continue trading.
A total of 24 staff at the store on Stone Lane Retail Park, Marsh Barton, face losing their jobs just seven days before Christmas, after weeks of uncertainty since the electricals retailer went into administration last month.
A final closing down sale is taking place, with discounts of at least 50 per cent on all items except TVs, laptops and Apple products.
Some 33 employees at the Exeter distribution hub of Comet's home delivery network have already been laid off.
The city branch is among the final batch of Comet stores to close, after attempts to find a buyer for some or all of the company's 236 outlets proved unsuccessful.
Chris Farrington, joint administrator at Deloitte, said: "We are very grateful to the company's employees for their professionalism, loyalty and support at this difficult time and employees will of course continue to be paid for all the work they do while the company is in administration."
When the administrators were appointed in November, the firm's plight was blamed on the uncertain economic environment, slow consumer spending and competition from online retailers. Fewer first-time property buyers had also led to declining sales of big ticket electrical items.
The situation became critical when Comet was unable to obtain supplier credit for the peak Christmas trading period, leaving it with no prospect of building up sufficient stock to continue trading.
