JOBS at the Hawkin's Bazaar toy and gadget store in The Galleries are at risk after the company which owns it was put into administration.

The owner of the chain became the latest victim of the squeeze in consumer spending yesterday when it collapsed into administration, putting nearly 400 jobs at risk across the country.

Corporate restructuring company Zolfo Cooper was appointed as administrator of Tobar, which owns Hawkin's, as well as toys and children's accessories retailer Letterbox, and its wholesale, mail order, and online businesses.

The group employs 380 full-time staff at its 65 permanent stores and at its head office in Suffolk, which are now in jeopardy as the retailer seeks to sell all or part of the business.

The business will continue to trade as a going concern by the administrator but a further 55 "pop-up" Hawkin's stores, which opened over Christmas and employ some 400 temporary staff, will be closed in coming days in line with its previous plans.

Shoppers who have gift vouchers for Hawkin's Bazaar will still be able to exchange these for goods in stores as normal. People will still be able to exchange unwanted items but will be refused refunds.

Suppliers owed money by Hawkin's will now need to deal with the administrators.

The move came on top of news yesterday that about 1,600 jobs are to go at shoe retailer Barratts Priceless after attempts to find a buyer for its concessions business failed.

It was announced last week that nearly 200 jobs were being lost with the closure of 18 of the company's shops in the UK and Ireland.

Administrator Deloitte said trading would continue in the remaining 173 stores as it sought a buyer for all or parts of the business as a going concern.

But it said that it had been unsuccessful in finding a buyer for the concessions business.

The concessions are mainly in Dorothy Perkins and Outfit stores.

There are seven Dorothy Perkins and Outfit stores in the Bristol and Weston-super-Mare area, but it is not known how many of those stores have Barratts concessions and might be affected.

Forecasters say they fear many more chains could fold in the coming weeks as businesses are sunk by their quarterly rent demands from landlords amid tough trading conditions.

Lingerie shop chain La Senza, which has branches at Cabot Circus, Broadmead and The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, announced last week that it intended to appoint administrators shortly.

The business will continue to trade as normal in the meantime and there have been no unplanned redundancies or store closures.

The company has blamed trading conditions on the high street and the overall economic environment.

And Blacks Leisure, which employs 3,600 staff and owns 98 Blacks and 208 Millets outdoor clothing and accessories stores, has put itself up for sale after poor sales.

There are Blacks stores in Broadmead and Cribbs Causeway, and Millets shops in Broadmead, Yate and Weston-super-Mare.