Shoe shop jobs in doubt

The company has a total of 140 stores and 60 concessions across the UK, including their shop at The Peel Centre on Lockerbie Road.
Tony Barrell, of administrators PwC, said: “The continuing challenging conditions for ‘bricks and mortar’ retail stores are well documented.
“Like many others, Brantano has been hit hard by the change in consumers’ shopping habits and the evolution of the UK retail environment.”
He added: “The administrators are continuing to trade the businesses as normal whilst we assess the trading strategy over the coming days and weeks.
“Staff will be paid their arrears of wages and salaries, and will continue to be paid for their work during the administration.”
Brantano (UK) Limited was acquired by Alteri Investors in October 2015 but has experienced difficult trading conditions.
And administrators say this has resulted in the company being placed into administration, despite sustained efforts to make the business more commercially viable.
Robert Moran of PwC is leading the process to find a buyer for Brantano.
He said: “Brantano is an established value shoe retailer in the UK and Jones Bootmaker/Brantano businesses attracted considerable interest during the 2015 sales process. “We are now assessing interest in the UK Brantano business as a whole or its parts and we welcome approaches from interested parties.”
Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray said: “This is devastating news for not only the local people who work in the Peel Centre store, but the countless others who work in Brantano shops across the UK.