Amateur Photographer Magazine

Max Spielmann and Klick victims of 'digital' (update)

Wednesday 3rd December 2008

Chris Cheesman

High-street photo processors Klick Photopoint and Max Spielmann have called in administrators, with the loss of more than 800 jobs, it has been confirmed.

Administrators at KPMG were called in after Glasgow-based Bowie Castlebank, the companies' owner, ran into trouble.

The firm employs 1,664 people in 314 stores. There are 197 branches of Klick and 117 Max Speilmann stores.

KPMG blamed the business's demise on the consumer 'advance of digital photography'.

A spokesman added: 'Due to the advance in digital photography, the photo processing business has suffered significant losses in recent years… The company explored several opportunities to restructure or refinance the business but these were not successful. The administrators have unfortunately had no option but to significantly reduce trading activity with the regrettable consequence of 817 redundancies.'

Administrators say they hope to sell the business as a 'going concern'.

Bowie Castlebank was founded more than 130 years ago.

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