Blockbuster in administration

Blockbuster has responded to worried customers on Twitter, reassuring them that trading will continue as normal and insisting it was technically not in administration.

The group's UK Twitter account informed followers that its online store was also trading as normal.

However, it later responded to queries concerning online pre-orders by advising customers to write to the group's UK head office.

Blockbuster plunged into administration in January, before being bought by Gordon Brothers in March.

At the time of its initial collapse the group had 528 stores in the UK employing 4,190 staff.

• Read: How the drama unfolded at Blockbuster

Gordon Brothers said its turnaround attempts for the historically loss-making company coincided with a patch of poor trading across rental and retail sales.

It said stores will continue trading but some may need to close if a buyer cannot be found.

• Read about the history of Blockbuster

Around 2,000 jobs are at risk after the new owner of Blockbuster Entertainment said it is putting the DVD and computer games rental chain into administration for the second time this year due to tough trading.

Private equity group Gordon Brothers Europe said 32 jobs will be cut at the chain's Uxbridge headquarters, while 264 stores are at risk as a buyer is sought.

DVD rental chain Blockbuster Entertainment is to fall into administration again after suffering from poor trading, its private equity owner Gordon Brothers Europe said.