SHOP staff in Huddersfield are among 2,100 employees whose jobs are at risk after a greeting cards chain went into administration.
Owner Clinton Cards said it was putting the 332-store Birthdays chain into administration because it could "no longer continue to provide funding to its loss making subsidiary."
Birthdays includes a store at the Pack Horse Shopping Centre in Huddersfield.
Clintons said the worsening economy had added to Birthdays’ already struggling business – with 50% of the brand’s store now loss-making.
Administrators Zolfo Cooper said it will "explore all options available to secure the future of the Birthdays’ business" and stores will continue to trade at present.
Clinton Cards stores, which employ about 6,200 staff in 692 shops, are unaffected by the move and will continue to trade as normal. Clintons has stores at New Street and the Kingsgate Centre in Huddersfield.
Group chairman Don Lewin said: "It is with deep regret that we have taken the decision to place the Birthdays’ business into administration.
"Everyone at Birthdays has worked tirelessly to try and turn the business around and I would like to thank everybody for their hard work and dedication over the past five years."
But he said Clintons could not keep supporting Birthdays’ losses of about £7m a year when there was "limited opportunity to improve on that performance in the foreseeable future."
He believed that a "significant element" of the Birthdays business would have a "profitable and successful future."
Clinton Cards bought Birthdays in December, 2004, but the chain has not been able to shake off its troubles.
Clintons said in a statement that there was little prospect of the Birthdays business generating a profit in the near future.
It said continuing to fund its subsidiary’s losses had become "unsustainable" and that Clintons had acted to protect the "stable core" of its business.
Birthdays’ Irish subsidiary, Birthdays (Ireland) Ltd, has not been put into administration and will continue to trade as normal.
