CUMBRIAN Carpetright branches are due to close after the chain fell into administration.

Stores in Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal and Whitehaven are among more than 200 branches across the country due to shut.

The chain has been bought by another retailer but hundreds of stores and jobs are due to be lost.

It was announced on Monday that the flooring retailer Tapi had agreed to buy 54 Carpetright stores, two warehouses, the brand, and its intellectual property in a pre-pack administration deal.

Administrators at PwC added that the deal will save more than 308 current jobs at Carpetright.

However, the deal will not save most of the business, including its head office in Purfleet, Essex.

Carpetright, which is owned by Nestware Holdings, filed a notice to appoint administrators earlier this month, after struggling in the face of weaker demand and a major cyber attack in April.

The company employed 1,852 people and operated 273 stores across the UK before entering insolvency.

Administrators said it will retain workers at its head office for the short term as it winds down operations.

However, it said 1,018 workers will face immediate redundancy across its stores which were not part of the rescue deal.

Zel Hussain, joint administrator at PwC, said: “The sale of some stores and the brand to Tapi has allowed over 300 jobs to be saved, and gives the Carpetright brand the chance to continue and flourish under its new ownership.

“However, it is deeply saddening that for the remainder of the workforce there will be redundancies.

“We are committed to helping those affected and will make sure redundancy claims are processed as quickly as possible.”

The administrators said orders made at stores now set for closure “are unable to be fulfilled” recommended customers to contact their card provider in order to potentially secure a refund.

Tapi was founded in 2015 by Lord Harris of Peckham, who also founded Carpetright. He sold all his stock in Carpetright in 2014.

Tapi has grown rapidly in recent years and runs about 175 shops across the UK.

Jeevan Karir, managing director of Tapi Carpets & Floors, said: “Our goal, initially, was to try to save all of Carpetright.

“However, as we looked into the details of the situation, we quickly established that saving the entire business was unviable.”