THE two local Sony Centre shops have shut down after their company that owned them went into liquidation.

A printed notice inside the door at the Poole High Street store says: “After many years of trading we have had to close our store here in Poole and in Bournemouth as a result of the entering into liquidation of the operating company DVID Ltd. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this may cause.”

A contact number has been provided for outstanding uncollected orders and repairs.

Bournemouth's Sony Centre, in Westover Road, has been shut for just over a week, although with no sign outside to say what is going on.

Graham Summers, acting manager in the neighbouring Michael Matthews jewellery store, said it was bad news for the other businesses on the road.

“Someone, perhaps an area manager, went in there on Wednesday last week and told them the store was closing and they were out, and it has been shut ever since,” he said. “We have had quite a few customers in asking what's happened to them.

“It is a bad time for businesses, and it is not attractive to have empty shops along here, but if a business isn't viable it can't stay open just to fill a shop.”

DVID's registered office is in Cecil Avenue, Bournemouth.