Forty-eight members of staff at department store TJ Hughes must now look for work after the Sutton branch closed down on Tuesday (August 22).

The Sutton Guardian reported two weeks ago that the store, based in Sutton High Street's Times Shopping Centre, was bucking the recent economic trend by continuing to trade in bleak conditions.

But following a two-week period of "significantly" reduced prices the company's administrators officially announced that Tuesday was the store's last day of trading.

The job losses and closure of the Times Shopping Centre's flagship store are a serious blow to the Sutton which has already seen Burger King close down.

Tom Jack, joint administrator of TJ Hughes, said: “It is regrettable that we have had to schedule these store closures and we are extremely grateful to the employees and management at all the group's stores, at the head office and at warehouses for their loyalty and support during what has been a very difficult and uncertain time.

“We continue in negotiations with a number of interested parties for a large number of the remaining stores in the group's portfolio."

Employees affected by these closures are being offered "appropriate support and advice" throughout the redundancy process and Jobcentre Plus representatives are providing support to help find future employment.