Childrenswear chain Adams looks set to become the latest victim of the retail fall-off after it applied to appoint administrators, it was confirmed today.
The 75-year-old company - which makes clothes for Boots and has 500 outlets in the UK - filed a notice of its intention to appoint Price Waterhouse Coopers as administrators on Christmas Eve.
Adams is owned by the Northern Ireland businessman John Shannon, who bought the company early last year and closed 42 branches shortly after the purchase.
Adam's woes come hard on the heels of the collapse of tea and coffee merchant, Whittard of Chelsea, music chain Zavvi and menswear retailer The Officers Club, which all fell into administration in the days before Christmas. Both The Officers Club and Whittard were subsequently sold.
A spokeswoman for PWC said it was not certain when the firm would be formally appointed.
"They put the thing into court on Christmas Eve but I cannot really say much more than that," she said.
PA