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Harveys Furniture staff told company had gone into administration ‘day after returning from furlough’

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STUNNED staff at sofa firm Harveys Furniture were brought back from furlough – only to be told the next day the company had gone administration.

Workers at their Braehead store, near Glasgow, were among those told to return to work on Monday to prepare for the store reopening.

 Staff at the Braehead store returned from furlough a day before it went bust (stock pic not Glasgow store)
Staff at the Braehead store returned from furlough a day before it went bust (stock pic not Glasgow store)Credit: Alamy

But they arrived this morning to be told the company was going into administration after bosses claimed coronavirus had “made a difficult situation even more challenging.”

The husband of one worker told The Scottish Sun: “It’s a disgrace. They’d have known before she came into work that the company would have been going into administration.

“But yet they made her spend the day preparing social distancing measures so the shop was safe.

“Workers have been in tears at the news.”

The Sun has contacted Harveys parent company – Alteri Investors – for comment.

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Harveys is the latest retail casualty of the coronavirus crisis as high street stores fights to recover from lockdown.

Restructuring company Alteri has run Harveys and sister chain Bensons for Beds since November after taking them over from struggling South African retailer Steinhoff.

Bensons was also put into administration today, but it was bought out in a pre-arranged deal by Alteri.

Administrators PWC will keep trading Harveys stores in the hope someone will buy the firm.

Chief executive Mark Jackson wrote to staff in an email: “Like most other retailers the impact of coronavirus has, I’m afraid, made a difficult situation even more challenging.

“So, it is with heartfelt regret that I must tell you today that the group has taken the difficult decision to call upon administrators.”

We told earlier of the huge queues forming outside Glasgow shops as the high street economy starts to get back on track.

Shoppers continued to flock to stores including Zara, Apple and Primark this afternoon after lockdown restrictions were eased yesterday.

The bustling Buchanan Street is a welcome sight after the city centre was reduced to a ghost town in March – as we mark 100 days since lockdown was announced by Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson.

While Nicola Sturgeon urged customers not to abuse staff as shops reopened.

The First Minister was asked in her daily briefing today about concerns being raised over “flashpoints” of workers being abused by customers.

And she moved to remind people that staff and shops are employing certain safety measures for their own protection, and urged punters to show respect.

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