Mothercare to press ahead with closing 50 stores across UK

Baby chain Mothercare has been given the green light to swing the axe on 50 underperforming stores in a move that will see 800 jobs put at risk.

Mothercare to axe 50 stores across the UK. Picture: Contributed

The store closures will be carried out through a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

The move allows companies to close loss-making shops and secure rental discounts.

The decision to close a third of Mothercare’s UK operations comes after reports many of the stores have been struggling to compete with cheap supermarkets, like Aldi and Lidl.

It has not yet been announced which stores are going to be given the axe.

Mothercare today said it had received the backing of creditors to press ahead with the CVA.

The company employs about 3,000 people across 137 outlets, 13 of which are in Scotland.

In a move that stunnede many observers, Mark Newton Jones, who was given the elbow as chief executive in April, is returning to the fold to once again take the top job.