Carpetright’s retail staff were told they would lose their jobs by a Teams call with administrators PwC.
All employees, other than those on holiday or sick, were part of an ‘all employee’ call on 22 July in which PwC confirmed their appointment and Tapi’s purchase of store leases and stock.
Tapi paid £1.79m for stock; £1.72m for the leases and £174,000 for equipment.
Branches were then emailed to confirm to staff they had been transferred to Tapi under TUPE or that they were not part of the deal and stores would close and they would be redundant that day.
Absent staff were telephoned so they could be read the administrator’s message.
Representatives of head office staff were part of a separate meeting following the Teams call. Store managers at the stores facing closure were emailed asking them to stay on for a maximum of five more days: all were made redundant by 27 July.
The chain’s former employees have been told they will be paid what they are owed by the chain, but will have to wait at least six months.
PwC has told preferential creditors – mainly employees – that that are owed £2.2m but it will be able to pay them in full.
It also anticipates that HMRC should be paid in full, but his is dependent on how much money it can raise and recover above the Tapi deal.
Unsecured creditors such as consumers and suppliers will receive less than 1p in the £ as a maximum payout.
