Bargain bookstore closes branches

A number of book shops will stay open while an owner is found

An Edinburgh-based firm which pioneered the sale of cut price books for 30 years has gone into administration.

Bookworld, Bargain Books and bw! closed eight UK stores immediately including those in Dumfries, Edinburgh, Greenock, Inverness and Stirling.

By the end of February, a further four stores including one in Glasgow and another in Perth will also close.

A total of 42 jobs will be lost in Scotland. The firm blamed competition from the internet and supermarkets.

It has 50 stores nationwide - including 20 in Scotland - and employed 397 staff.

Of that number, 156 staff were employed in Scotland.

Administrator Tenon said the remaining shops - including 13 in Scotland - would continue to trade while it searched for a buyer.

Tom MacLennan, managing director of Tenon in Scotland, said: "The business has almost single handedly developed the market for High Street discount book selling.

"A turnover of £30m clearly indicates that there is strong demand for discount stores on the high street."