A FURNITURE shop with a branch in Kidderminster has gone into administration after 120 years in business due to the coronavirus crisis.

Family-owned furniture retailer Lee Longlands said it had been forced into administration as a result of the "the devastating impact of the coronavirus lockdown".

Lee Longlands was established in 1902 and opened its flagship store in Birmingham 30 years later.

Directors say they have taken steps to place the company into administration to protect the business from the devastating impact of the lockdown.

The business operates showrooms in Birmingham, Leamington Spa, Kidderminster, Abingdon, Derby and Cheltenham.

The Kidderminster branch at Crossley Retail Park had undergone a refurbishment last year.

Joint administrator Matt Ingram, of Duff & Phelps, said the appointment was a director result of the coronavirus lockdown.

He said: "Lee Longlands is a household name across the Midlands and has a fantastic reputation for quality and service.

"It is a long-standing profitable business and the fact that the appointment of Administrators has been necessary, demonstrates the devastating financial impact that this pandemic will leave in its wake.”

Mr Ingram added: “This is a firm with a sound financial proposition.

"Being unable to trade for almost three months has severely disrupted its working capital cycle but working with management and with the support of the company’s suppliers, we will be focusing on restructuring its cash flow and exiting the administration period as soon as possible.”

Stores are still set to re-open and customers awaiting deliveries are being told that their orders will be fulfilled.

The company will now start booking delivery dates and will be complying with social distancing rules.

Robert Lee, who is the fourth generation of family stewardship of Lee Longlands, said: “For almost 120 years, our family business and our employees have put our customers at the heart of everything we do. That will not change.

"We are very much open for business as usual and our customers can be assured, we will continue to give them the highest levels of service as we restore our short-term finances and get back to work.

"Now that the coronavirus restrictions are being eased and we can begin to operate again, we are working extremely hard, under the highest level of safety standards, to start deliveries again for all our customers and get our showrooms open so that the public can once again furnish their homes with our fantastic quality products.”