Administrators seek Oddbins sale

The administrators of the wine retailer Oddbins said yesterday they are hopeful of selling the business after holding discussions with several interested parties.

The company's 89 stores will continue to trade while administrators from Deloitte seek to sell the business, which employs 400 people. They have already held talks with parties interested in providing the funding necessary to keep the business alive.

Oddbins had hoped to push through a rescue deal last week that would have seen its creditors receive only some of the money they were owed but the HMRC, which is owed £8m by the chain, refused to vote for the scheme.