JOBS are under threat after the owner of shoe chains Barratts and Priceless Shoes collapsed into administration.
The Barratts shop in Queen Street, Oxford, will continue to trade while administrator Deloitte seeks a buyer for all or parts of the business.
The failure of the Bradford-based chain Barratts Priceless, which has 191 stores in the UK, follows the unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks, which exacerbated already difficult trading conditions.
No one was available to comment at the Oxford store.
About 3,840 staff work in 191 stores and 371 concessions across the UK.
Deloitte restructuring partner Daniel Butters said: “Barratts and Priceless Shoes have faced a downturn in trading as a result of the difficult economic conditions.
“This has been exacerbated by the unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks which resulted in fewer sales across new winter lines.”
It is the second time the business has been put into administration.
Michael Ziff, chairman of Barratts Priceless parent company Stylo, bought 160 shops from Deloitte after the chains were put into administration in 2009.
At the time, Deloitte closed 220 stores but Mr Ziff was able to safeguard about 3,000 jobs.
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