The administrators to Clinton Cards have today closed around 350 stores, including all the Birthdays shops, after deeming the retailer’s portfolio of 784 store “an untenable retail estate”.

Partners at Zolfo Cooper were appointed to Clinton Cards last week after one of its suppliers American Greetings bought its £35m of debt and forced the administration.

The stores to be closed include all those branded as Birthdays and around 200 Clinton Cards stores. The closure programme will begin next week and continue into June.

The stores to be closed are located throughout the country and employ approximately 2800 full time and part time staff.

Peter Saville, joint administrator and Partner at Zolfo Cooper said:  “Given the sheer size of the Clinton Cards retail estate and the overall performance, we were left with no alternative to today’s difficult decision. I am hopeful that the action we have taken will allow us to preserve value in the core underlying business, thereby allowing us and potential buyers to focus on a profitable and viable retail estate going forward.”