MORE than 20 jobs are at risk with the collapse of one of Huddersfield’s best-known retailers.

Now a buyer is being urgently sought for family-run firm Thatcher’s Furnishings Ltd, which has been a familiar name in the town centre for more than 70 years,

Peter Sargent and Julian Pitts, of insolvency firm Begbies Traynor, were today appointed joint administrators of the company, which is based at Dundas Street.

Meltham man Mr Sargent said the firm has been “a bastion of retailing traditional high quality furniture”, adding: “It is sad to see such a well-known, longstanding local retailer go into administration.”

But he said: “In recent times, the company has suffered a downturn in trade due to a range of market circumstances.”

Mr Sargent said the firm’s Dundas Street premises would be closed today for stocktaking, after which it would re-open for a sale of goods to the public.

He said: “Every effort is being made to save the jobs of the loyal and dedicated staff, but sadly no guarantee can be given.

“I am also concerned that there are a number of deposit customers and how these are dealt with will depend on whether there is a successor business”.

Mr Sargent said efforts were now under way to sell the business and/or the firm’s “prominent and substantial” premises at Dundas Street.

Chartered surveyors Walker Singleton have been appointed to handle the disposal of the firm’s assets.

The building includes six showrooms over three floors as well as the top-floor Rafters coffee shop.

Thatchers specialised in selling high quality furniture, beds, curtains, clocks, carpets and rugs.

The firm was founded in 1940 by John Herbert Thatcher, who had been a carpet fitter. It began in Queen’s Mill Lane before moving into larger premises in Albion Street at the end of the 1940s.

It moved to its present premises in the early 1960s. Mr Chappell’s son Trevor, who had joined the business in 1954 as an apprentice, took over in the late 1960s and was succeeded in turn as managing director by his son Darran.

David Curran, of Begbies Traynor in Halifax, said: “We want to find a buyer for the business, but it doesn’t take an expert to realise this is a difficult economic climate.

“It is a very sad situation. It is another blow to the local economy. We are going to try to identify if anything can be done to preserve the business.”