Threshers owner closing 53 shops

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A total of 53 stores out of 219 in Scotland are to close at off licence group First Quench, the firm's administrators KPMG have announced.

KPMG said 373 closures across the UK will affect all of the firm's brands including Threshers, Wine Rack, Haddows, Bottoms Up and Victoria Wine.

First Quench went into administration last month, after it struggled with a fall in sales during the recession.

KPMG hopes to sell most of the business as a going concern.

Further detail is set to be announced on Friday.

The stores to close in Scotland are across the country.

Store breakdown

They are in Forfar, Dingwall, Forres, two in Inverurie, two in Dundee, and seven in Aberdeen.

Stores will also close in Perth, Fort William, Nairn, Bellshill, Alloa, Bathgate, Kirkintilloch, Stirling, Lanark, Bonnyrigg, two in Dunfermline, and eight in Edinburgh.

There will be closures in in Giffnock, Girvan, Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Dumbarton, Strathavon, Shawlands, Barrhead, two in Paisley, two in Port Glasgow, and six in Glasgow.

First Quench has 1,300 stores in total in the UK, with 6,500 employees.

KPMG had already announced 81 redundancies at the firm's head office in Welwyn Garden City.