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2,200 jobs lost at JJB Sports

2,200 staff at JJB Sports have been made redundant after administrators closed 133 stores and agreed to sell 20 remaining outlets. The agreement is a worse-than-expected outcome.

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JJB job losses 'very grim' for Britain

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liam Byrne MP has said the announcement of some 2,200 job losses at JJB Sports is "very grim for Britain".

Thousands of jobs were lost today at the sports retailer after administrator KPMG closed 133 stores and sold the remaining 20 to rival Sports Direct International.

JJB's collapse will serve as another blow to the high street after recent high-profile casualties including video games retailer Game Group and fashion chain Peacocks.

The JJB name will vanish from the high street as Sports Direct intends to convert all stores as part of the deal, in which it also acquired all of the company's stock and the Slazenger Golf brand.

JJB Sports staff will receive full pay

Richard Fleming, UK Head of Restructuring at KPMG, said about the closure of JJB Sports:

Successive attempts to restructure the business, both financially and operationally, have not been enough to prevent the company falling into administration. Unfortunately a buyer could only be found for 20 stores on a going concern basis.

All staff made redundant as a result of store closures have had their arrears of wages and holiday entitlements paid in full. Our team of employment specialists will be supporting staff on completing redundancy forms and putting them in touch with job seeker services. We will now be reviewing what options are available for the remainder of the business, such as selling leasehold interests.

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133 JJB Sports stores close

Following their appointment, the administrators KPMG completed an agreement to sell part of JJB Sports to Sports Direct International.

A JJB Sports store as some 2,200 staff at JJB Sports were made redundant Credit: Dave Thompson/PA Wire

Sports Direct now has 20 of JJB’s stores, the brand and website, securing around 550 jobs in the UK (including the staff at the company’s warehouse).

The remaining 133 stores will close today, resulting in approximately 2,200 redundancies. A total of 167 employees will remain to assist the administrators.

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