STAFF at Aberystwyth shoe store Brantano are facing an anxious wait to learn if they will lose their jobs after administrators were called in.

It was announced on Wednesday, 21 January that Pricewaterhouse Cooper had been appointed as administrator for the chain, which has 140 stores across the UK as well as 60 ‘concessions’ and employs around 2,000 staff nationally.

The appointment of administrators comes less than four months after the company was bought by investment fund Alteri Investors in October 2015, but “difficult trading conditions” have not seen an improvement in the company’s performance.

The stores, including the Aberystwyth store at the Ystwyth Retail Park, will continue to trade for the moment and it has been confirmed though that staff will be fully paid any arrears in wages and for their work currently.

Tony Barrell, the lead administrator at PwC, said: “The administrators are continuing to trade the businesses as normal whilst we assess the trading strategy over the coming days and weeks.

“Staff will be paid their arrears of wages and salaries and will continue to be paid for their work during the administration.”

Robert Moran, a deals partner at PwC who is leading the efforts to find a new buyer for the chain, said there had been interest from other buyers in October of last year and hoped that potential buyers could be found.