AN UPMARKET furniture store has gone into administration – a month after being named Bournemouth’s retailer of the year.

BoConcept, in Avenue Road, shut suddenly at the weekend.

Only last month, its franchisees walked away with the trophy for Best Retail Experience at the Bournemouth Tourism Awards.

A notice on the door of the shop yesterday said: “Bethany Retail Ltd, the franchisee for this branch of BoConcept, has entered into administration as of March 21.”

It said Elwell Wathorn and Saxton LLP had been appointed joint administrators.

The branch, in a former Habitat store, was run by Sella and Gareth Whitcombe.

Stella told the Daily Echo last year: "In 2007 I was working for BoConcept as their management accountant, sourcing new people to run their franchise stores. When it came to the Bournemouth store, I couldn't find anyone I thought was good enough to do the job and hit a complete dead end.

“Then Gareth said: ‘Why don't we do it?’”

She added then: “We’re now Bournemouth's last remaining, family-run, town centre furniture store – so it's obviously working."

The couple went on to open another BoConcept franchise in Bristol, which is still trading.

Nigel Elliott-Smith, general manager of the neighbouring Neptune furniture store, said: “They were good neighbours. It’s a shame if they’re not going to return. They’re a good competitor as far as I’m concerned.

“They were all nice products and they’re good people.”

Mike O’Neill of the Triangle Bournemouth Community Group said on Facebook: “I know the staff and management well and wish them the very best in any future stores.”

BoConcept is the brand name of a Danish furniture maker, with more than 250 outlets in 60 countries. It has been producing furniture for more than 60 years.

Its UK businesses have been franchised operations since 2006.

Collecting the business’s Bournemouth Tourism Award last month, Stella Whitcombe said: “The customer experience is the most important thing about our business, right from when the customer walks in the door and we greet them, to when we clear away the packaging in their home following a delivery.”

No one from Bethany Retail or from BoConcept's headquarters had responded to requests for comment at the time of going to press.