CHESTER’S Ethel Austin shop has been given a temporary reprieve after administrators of the failed clothing store announce a number of shop closures.

The Merseyside-based firm which runs Ethel Austin and Au Naturale announced they were going into administration on Monday.

MCR administrators announced this morning 129 retail outlets would close. The Frodsham Street store and Ellesmere Port’s Rivington Road store have escaped this initial cut. But the Au Naturale shop at the Coliseum shopping park will be closed.

Geoff Bouchier, Partner at MCR said: "MCR is now conducting a parallel strategy. All stores are to enter into a sale campaign commencing today while we continue to seek a purchaser for the Companies businesses.”

He added: “129 of the Companies stores have been identified as loss making and as a consequence those stores will enter a closing down phase which will commence tomorrow. A rescue of these stores by a willing purchaser has not been ruled out.”

This is not the first time the firm has been in trouble , back in 2008 the company announced it was going into administration but it was saved at the last minute by founder of fashion retailer MK One, Elaine McPherson. At the time she promised to turn around the fortunes of the store, but on Monday it was revealed this effort had failed and the MCR administrators had taken control.