Iris Robinson’s favourite furniture store to close

IRIS Robinson’s favourite furniture store is to close in the New Year after a buyer could not be found.

Fultons, which has a 60,000 sq ft showroom on Belfast’s Boucher Road, was placed into administration in July.

However, despite receiving a “number of serious approaches from interested parties” administrators Price Waterhouse Coopers said no deal could be reached.

PwC said that while the business had been trading successfully in administration that could not continue indefinitely without a new owner,

The company will continue to trade over the next few months in a “managed wind down” of the business.

The administrators said new orders will be taken until Monday, December 17 and all existing orders will be fulfilled. All floor stock has now been reduced.

The business employs a total of 45 people who can now expect to lose their jobs.

The business began in Lurgan over 50 years ago and there is still a Fultons shop in the town.

It opened a Belfast operation in 1991 and moved to its new purpose-built premises in 2006.

The furniture and homeware sector in Northern Ireland has suffered in the recession with several local retailers going out of business.