Budget DIY set to shut NI stores

Jobs are at risk at Budget DIY stores

All six of Budget DIY's Northern Ireland stores are to close on Thursday.

Administrators Pricewaterhouse Coopers say staff wages will be paid, but it is now likely all 187 workers will be made redundant.

The company went into administration at the weekend. PWC said attempts by the owners of Budget DIY to find a buyer proved unsuccessful.

Employee Sharon Barr said staff were very disappointed at the news.

"We don't know where to go now or what to do. We are all fed up," she said.

Earlier on Wednesday, staff at the DIY store attended meetings where they were told that the stores would be closing down.

Budget, founded in 1983, has six stores across Northern Ireland including Bangor, east and west Belfast, Newtownabbey and Londonderry.

In recent years Budget DIY had suffered significant losses as a result of growing competition.

In March 2006, the share capital of the company was acquired by Star Trading Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manchester-based Hilco Group.