ADMINISTRATORS have shut down the Bury branch of bookstore Wardleworth's.

The town centre store closed on Saturday only hours after a publicity stunt to attract more customers.

Ten zstaff - four full-time, two part-time and four who work Saturdays - are now looking for new jobs.

The firm, which has its main branch in Accrington, has been the hands of administrators, accountants Baker Tilly since July 5.

Mr Stephen Quinn, of the Manchester office of Baker Tilly, said the decision was taken to close the store "within days" of taking over the business.

"The Bury shop was losing money, and we decided it couldn't continue beyond Saturday evening," he said. Mr Quinn said the shop's position in the town centre and competition from Waterstones and W. H. Smiths had helped in Wardleworth's decline.

The firm's stores in Accrington and St Helens are still trading, but the ten staff at Bury have lost their jobs.

Mr Quinn said they would receive any payments to which they were legally entitled.

Wardleworths has been in existence since 1863, and has had a shop in Bury since 1911. Current owner Mr Viv Brown took charge in the mid-1980s.

Mr Brown said any customers who had placed orders with the Bury store could collect them from the Accrington shop.

Mr Quinn said interest in the shop's lease has already been shown.

Hours before Saturday's closure, shoppers had been entertained by a cuddly character from Roger Hargreaves' much-loved Mr Men books. Ironically, the character was Mr Worry!

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