The closing down sale at another big high street name in Ipswich is under way, as fashion chain Bonmarché seeks a new owner after going into administration.

Ipswich Star: There are almost a dozen Bonmarche shops across Essex and Suffolk and more than 2,500 staff employed nationwide Picture: ARCHANTThere are almost a dozen Bonmarche shops across Essex and Suffolk and more than 2,500 staff employed nationwide Picture: ARCHANT (Image: Jake Foxford)

The womenswear retailer - which also has stores in Felixstowe, Colchester and Bury St Edmunds - collapsed into administration in October, putting almost 2,900 jobs at risk.

The announcement came after a "sustained period of challenging trading conditions".

The womenswear retailer employs 2,887 staff, including 200 at its head office, and operates 318 stores across the UK.

In Westgate Street, Ipswich, staff are opening the store as usual, with huge 'closing down sale' signs in the windows and sale rails full of clothes.

No decisions regarding the closures of shops or staff redundancies have been made while the search for a buyer for the chain goes on.

Bonmarché's Suffolk stores include:

- Ipswich (Westgate Street)

- Felixstowe (Hamilton Road)

- Bury St Edmunds (Cornhill)

- Lowestoft (London Road North)

- Newmarket (High Street)

And its Essex stores include:

- Colchester (Wyevale Garden Centre)

- Clacton (Pier Avenue)

- Braintree (Chelmsford Star Co-op)

- Chelmsford (Exchange Way)

The tough time on the high street has continued in the run up to Christmas, with high street giants Mothercare forced to close all their UK branches after the chain collapsed.

Tony Wright, Alastair Massey and Phil Pierce, of specialist advisory firm FRP, were appointed as joint administrators for Bonmarché on Friday.

FRP said the company will continue to trade with no immediate job losses, as it assesses options to secure the future of the company.

"All stores remain open and no redundancies have been made," the administrators said in a statement.