Zavvi Forced To Close 15 More UK Stores

Fifteen more stores at the stricken music and DVD retailer Zavvi have been closed with immediate effect, administrators have announced.

Ernst & Young said the closures, which will cost 295 jobs, were necessary as the company was scaled back.

The closures include stores in Birmingham, Colchester and two in London.

The music retailer, formerly Virgin Megastore, fell into administration on December 24th. The company has suffered since the collapse of Woolworths.

Administrators have so far close 55 of Zavvi's UK stores, with the loss of 826 jobs.

Zavvi's remaining 48 stores in the UK are to remain open as the administrator continues its search for a buyer.

"At this time, we are continuing to look to further progress interest from a number of interested parties and consequently do not have a formal closure plan for the entire network," the administrator said.

Zavvi relied on Woolworths' distribution branch Entertainment UK (EUK) to deliver its CDs, DVDs and video games.

The company stopped deliveries and online trading last November after the long-established high street store collapsed.