Comet gift vouchers are suspended

The administrators of the electrical retailer Comet have suspended the use of gift vouchers at the stores.

The shops have been open as usual over the weekend since administrators were called in on Friday.

The Comet website has returned in a slimmed down form, confirming store locations and answering questions about the administration.

There has been no sign of heavy discounting so far, but the website said a sale would be starting soon.

On the question of gift vouchers, it said: "The administrators are currently considering the position in relation to gift cards and gift vouchers and at this stage they cannot be used to pay for items.

"The administrators are reviewing this position urgently."

Holders of gift vouchers would usually be considered as low priority creditors to a retailer going into administration, and would be unlikely to be able to use their vouchers.

The exception is when a chain is sold to new owners, who might decide to accept them as an act of goodwill to prevent the brand they have bought being tarnished.

The new website explained on its front page that administrators from Deloitte had been appointed.

Its question and answer section said that people who were waiting for items to be delivered that they had paid for would only be receiving those items if they were already in stock at a delivery centre.

"Where the item for an existing order is not currently in stock, this delivery cannot now be made," it said.