Staff at the Oxford branch of furniture retailer Habitat are facing an uncertain future after the group went into administration.

The outlet near Seacourt Tower, Botley, is one of 30 stores under threat employing a total of 900 workers.

The business is continuing to trade while administrators from London finance firm Zolfo Cooper talk to private parties in a bid to find a buyer.

Current owner Hilco has already struck a deal with with Homebase and Argos owner Home Retail Group, allowing it to buy the UK rights to the Habitat brand in the UK, the website and three stores in central London for £24.5m.

Hilco said Habitat posted losses of £88m over the past three years and a return to profitability in the UK appeared unlikely in the near term as many of the stores were expensive and poorly-located for a furniture retailer.

The collapse of Habitat completes a grim week for UK retailers, as consumers cut back in the face of the squeeze on household incomes.

Homeform, the owner of Moben kitchens, bathroom chain Dolphin which have a base in Oxford's Westgate Centre and Sharps bedrooms, has revealed its intention to appoint administrators, putting 1,300 jobs at risk, while on Wednesday Comet owner Kesa said it was considering a sale of the electricals retailer, which has stores in Oxford and Banbury, after it posted losses of £8.9m.

Set up by design legend Sir Terence Conran in 1964, Habitat came to epitomise London's young and trendy image during the Sixties with a range of pastel colours and products based on Conran designs.

Private equity group Hilco acquired the debt-laden Habitat in 2009 from the Ikano Group.