STAFF at the high street chain Phones4u are today waiting to hear what will happen to their jobs after the chain went into administration.

 

All branches of the retailer were closed today, Monday, putting 5,600 jobs into jeopardy nationwide.

The collapse followed a decision by EE to join Vodafone in cutting ties with the retailer, which sells contracts on behalf of the network operators.

Staff were told to turn up for work but their future looks bleak pending a decision by administrators from PwC on whether business can be reopened for trading.

Entrepreneur John Caudwell, who set up the operation in the 1980s before selling it for £1.5 billion in 2006, said he was "sickened and saddened" for staff. In an interview at the weekend, he blamed the "ruthless behaviour" of the network operators.

Its Dorset stores include two in Bournemouth and branches in Poole and Christchurch.

Staff arriving at the branch in Bournemouth’s Square said they were in the dark. “We only know what we heard on the news,” said one.

The doors remained locked during the morning, with around eight staff inside and busy on the phone.

Georgie Saunders, sales supervisor at the neighbouring accessories shop Fone World, said the closure had come as a surprise.

"They're always bringing quite a lot of customers in here so I assumed they were quite busy," she said.

"There is probably a lot of competition with EE. EE is a lot busier."

Customers at Bournemouth’s other town centre branch, in Commercial Road, expressed their shock.

Emma Miles, 34, said: “I feel really bad for the staff. I’ve been a customer with them for a while and always been pleased with the service.”

She said she was worried about the insurance on her handset.

Husband Carl, 34: “They were offering good deals on the iPhone on Saturday and I was potentially looking to switch from Vodafone. That might not happen now.”

Phones 4u said the decision by EE not to renew its current contract, which is due to end in September next year, came as a "complete shock". It meant the retailer would be left without a single network partner after Vodafone said earlier this month that it would not extend its agreement.