A LONG-established furniture store is threatened with closure after its owners called in the administrators.

MFI, which has been based at Whitebirk Retail Park, Blackburn, for around 20 years, is one of 86 stores that has been put up for sale as the company restructures its business.

The furniture company has 192 stores across the UK but is looking to off-load 86 of those following a management buyout at the start of the month. Kroll is handling the adminisatration process and around 10 jobs could be lost at the Blackburn store if a buyer is not found.

A Kroll spokesman said: “We are still looking into options for stores such as Blackburn and are trying to sell the stores that have been placed into administration.”

MFI said that all existing orders from its stores would be honoured.

Blackburn’s business community said the closure of MFI highlighted the problems retailers faced in the current economic climate.

David Cottam, Blackburn Chamber of Trade, said: “It is a long-standing store and I am sorry to see it go.

"Unfortunately it is a sign of times.

“Such a big premises would be hard to run and overheads do not change in tough times.”