After a few days of quiet on the administration front, electrical retailer Empire Direct has today announced that it has ceased trading and appointed KPMG as administrator. A notice on their website explains:
The business is unable to trade in administration due to low stock levels and operating losses and accordingly the stores have been closed. The administrators are working hard to assess the position for customers who have made payments and not received goods. We will endeavour to contact these customers over the next few weeks… If you are a customer then please call the helpline on 08714729000. If you are a supplier then please call the helpline on 08714729001. Alternatively you can send an email to orderqueries@empiredirect.co.uk… Please note that emails will be responded to as soon as possible, however this may not be on the same day that we receive your query.
Despite being around for 25 years, Empire Direct is now a largely internet-based company, although it did have 14 shops in the UK. 158 of its 350 staff have been made redundant.