JJB close 26 Scottish stores as 350 staff are axed following collapse of the ... - Scottish Daily Record

THE collapse of JJB Sports has resulted in 350 Scottish staff members losing their jobs.

It's understood administrators closed 26 shops north of the border with only four remaining open.

Mike Ashley's Sports Direct International will take control of the four remaining stores in Scotland as well as 20 in England after a further 133 shops were shut.

It's believed a total of 2200 staff across the UK have been made redundant.

The Sports World parent bought the stores, the brand and its website for £23.8 million in a deal that will protect 550 jobs in the UK, including its warehouse.

But the agreement is a worse-than-expected outcome for JJB staff as Sports Direct was reportedly hoping to safeguard up to 1,500 jobs and buy up to 60 stores.

However, David McCorquodale, corporate finance partner at KPMG, who led the sales process, said the level of cash and further operational restructuring required to rescue a more substantial part of the business was too much risk for most interested parties.

JJB's collapse will serve as another blow to the high street after recent high-profile casualties including video games retailer Game Group, fashion chain Peacocks, outdoor specialist Blacks Leisure and Clinton Cards.

The JJB name will vanish from the high street as Sports Direct intends to convert all stores as part of the deal, in which it also acquired all of the company's stock and the Slazenger Golf brand.

Brian Green, David Costley-Wood and Richard Fleming, partners of KPMG LLP, were appointed as administrators of the company.

KPMG said the net proceeds of the sale will be used to repay the company's outstanding debt to its lender and other secured creditors and it confirmed that shareholders interests would be wiped out.

The group had already warned investors - who include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - that they were likely to see their stakes lost under any rescue deal.

Mr Fleming, UK head of restructuring at KPMG, said it was unfortunate that a buyer could only be found for 20 stores.