Administrators at troubled British video games retailer Game have decided to close 27 stores in Ireland, including 14 in the Republic.
Administrators announced the closure of 277 stores across Britain and Ireland triggering 2,104 job losses. The group employs some 145 people in Northern Ireland and almost 130 in the Republic.
PwC said 277 stores in the UK and Ireland are to shut but the remaining 333 stores, which employ 2,814 staff, will continue to trade while they try to find a buyer for the remainder of the business.
The UK operations of the retailer, which trades as Game and Gamestation, collapsed into administration after it suffered dire trading in recent months, while some suppliers refused to stock the business.
Mike Jervis, joint administrator and partner at PwC, said: “The recent job losses are regrettable but will place the company in a stronger position while we explore opportunities to conclude a sale.
“My team and I will be doing all we can to help the affected employees at this difficult time.”
Among the 277 Game and Gamestation stores due to close over the next week are five stores in Dublin; one in Antrim; one in Athlone; one in Ballymena; Bangor; four in Belfast; one in Blanchardstown; one in Coleraine; two in Cork; one in Enniskillen; one in Galway; one in Limerick; two in Lisburn; one in Middleton; one in Newry; one in Omagh; one in Portadown and one in Tallaght.