MOTHERCARE'S York store - which only opened six months ago at Monks Cross - is at risk of closure after it emerged that the UK retail business is to be placed in administration.

The children’s retailer, which has 79 UK stores, said it will file a notice of intent to appoint administrators for the UK business later today, which will put about 2,500 jobs in jeopardy.

Mothercare has been looking for a buyer for the UK stores, but with no success so far. However, they will continue to trade as normal for the time being.

Mothercare UK slumped to a £36.9 million loss in the financial year to March, as it has struggled amid a period of turmoil for high street retailers.

The retailer, which has around 500 full-time staff and 2,000 part-time employees, is set to follow the likes of Bonmarché, Jack Wills and Karen Millen, which have gone bust in recent months.

The global Mothercare group said it has undertaken a review of the UK business and found that it is “not capable of returning to a level of structural profitability”.

It said the business is therefore unable to satisfy the cash needs of the UK arm and is therefore filing the notice as part of the restructuring and refinancing process.

The Monks Cross store was officially opened by special guest Peppa Pig on May 23, creating 30 jobs, after the firm's old store at Clifton Moor had shut in September last year.

The new purpose built 18,703 sq ft Mothercare store took up part of the old British Home Stores unit.

The branch stocked brands such as My K by Myleene Klass, Little Bird Clothing by Jools Oliver and a range of prams and accessories including Bugaboo, Silver Cross and iCandy. The store also open with a Baby Bond, where expectant mothers could have their pregnancy scans.

In the UK, Mothercare has already closed 55 stores over the past year in a desperate bid to keep the business afloat.

In July, it said that it was making progress through its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) restructuring plan but saw UK profit margin improve slower than forecast due to the difficult retail backdrop.

The closure of the York store would be just the latest blow to the city's retail offer.

Last week it was revealed that Bonmarché was to close, and the Dorothy Perkins/Burtons store in Coney Street shut in September, Gap in Davygate shut last month and Debenhams department store is to close in December.