Children's retailer Mothercare has put the future of its 79 º£½ÇÊÓƵ stores at risk after announcing plans to appoint administrators.
The appointment of administrators will put around 2,500 jobs at risk across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ.
In a statement the company revealed that it had filed administration documents with the court for both Mothercare º£½ÇÊÓƵ Limited and Mothercare Business Services Limited.
Stores remain open today but the company has warned that the firm will not be able to continue in its current form.
In a statement the company said: "Since May 2018, we have undertaken a root and branch review of the group and Mothercare º£½ÇÊÓƵ within it, including a number of discussions over the summer with potential partners regarding our º£½ÇÊÓƵ Retail business.
"Through this process, it has become clear that the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Retail operations of the group, which today includes 79 stores, are not capable of returning to a level of structural profitability and returns that are sustainable for the Group as it currently stands and/or attractive enough for a third party partner to operate on an arm's length basis. Furthermore, the Company is unable to continue to satisfy the ongoing cash needs of Mothercare º£½ÇÊÓƵ.
"These notices of intent to appoint administrators in respect of Mothercare º£½ÇÊÓƵ and MBS are a necessary step in the restructuring and refinancing of the group. Plans are well advanced and being finalised for execution imminently.  A further announcement will be made in due course."
