Sports Direct said on Thursday that it would aim for staff from the stores affected – Derby, Reigate, Malborough, Rock, Durham, Kingston, Tunbridge Wells and St Albans – to be redeployed elsewhere in the group.

If agreements cannot be reached with landlords to lower rents on other stores they may also close, according to The Financial Times.

Sports Direct acquired 98 Jack Wills stores for £12.8m earlier this month many of which are located in expensive cities and high-profile locations.