Troubled clothing retailer M&Co is to close all of its 170 stores this spring, including those in Ripon, Malton and Wetherby.

The move follows the Scottish company appointing administrators for a second time at the end of last year, after previously collapsing in 2020.

National media today reports the brand has been bought by AK Retail Holdings but the deal did not include physical stores, so they will now close down at Easter.

Store branches announced the closures in social media posts.

They said on Facebook: “Unfortunately we haven't received the news we would have hoped for during our administration period, and would like to share this news with you.

"As we haven't received any funded, deliverable offers that would result in the transfer of the company's stores or staff to a potential buyer, this means that all of our stores will close."

M&Co started as Mackays in Paisley, near Glasgow in 1834, as a pawnbroker.

It became a clothes retailer in 1953 and rebranded as M&Co in 2005.

The retailer went into went into administration in 2020, closing 47 of its stores and losing 380 staff. The pandemic and its lockdowns were cited as the main reason at the time.

But assets were immediately bought back by the family that built it up, saving more than 200 stores and 2,200 jobs.

Retail Holdings, which has bought the brand, is the owner of plus size retailer Yours Clothing.

Malton’s M&Co in Wheelgate celebrated 30 years of trading in 2018.

M&Co has been approached for comment.