SHOPPERS have been pictured queuing for hours to make the most of Mothercare's nationwide closing down sale.

The baby and maternity retailer is preparing to close all of its 79 stores after administrators were appointed earlier this week.

At some stores, customers reported having to wait for long periods just to get inside.

Announcing the sale on Friday morning, Mothercare said customers could "expect to find a huge range of discounts and bargains as all stock must go".

It added that its website would remain live until further notice and that discounts would be available online as long as the website was live.

It also said that product warranties or guarantees would remain valid, though encouraged customers to spend gift cards as soon as possible.

Grandmother-of-two Debbie Lewis, 54, went to Mothercare's store at Valegate Retail Park outside Cardiff to start her Christmas shopping.

"I got some good stuff," she said.

"Mainly Peppa Pig things for my granddaughter.

"It should have come to seventy-odd pounds but I paid about £40 so it was a good deal.

Trouble on the high street in 2019

MOTHERCARE isn’t the only retailer to have struggled in 2019.

So far this year we've also seen:

• Debenhams axe 22 of its 50 branches
• Forever21 close 350 stores with its UK branches also at risk
• Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's Italian" chain go bust, alongside his Fifteen and Barbecoa restaurants
• Links of London go into administration putting 350 jobs at risk
• Marks and Spencer close 35 more stores as it pushes forward with plans to axe 145 shops across the UK
• Dozens of Monsoon and Accessorize stores close
• While struggling shoe shop Office has said it "could close shops" as part of restructuring plans
• Fears Pizza Express could be next to go into administration as it "brings in emergency advisers"
• Hairdressing chain Supercuts went into administration in October putting 1,200 jobs and 220 salons at risk

"I would have got them anyway but when I heard they were closing I had to rush down."

She also said the chain had been a "lifesaver" when her grandson was younger.

"It’s sad to see this close because it’s the only real baby shop we have here,” she said.

"It’s a sad day for everybody I think."

'SAD TO SEE ITS DEMISE'

Stan Davies, 85, visited the same store to buy clothes for his three-year-old grandson.

"We used to come here quite often," he said.

"It’s rather sad to see the demise of it actually.

"The price is the right level and quality is quite good."

He added: “It was 10 per cent off some items and 20 per cent off others. I must have saved quite a bit."

Others were less impressed by the reductions.

Julie Evans, from Swansea, bought a discounted travel cot.

"It wasn't worth coming down to be honest," Julie said.

"I got 10 per cent off but their mark up is bigger anyway so I don't think I saved much in the end."

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Another shopper, who did not want to be named, said: "Lots of disappointed and angry people in Mothercare in Swansea as they've queued for ages at the till only to find items not on sale or a measly 10 per cent off."

The news that Mothercare would go into administration came just days before a similar announcement by rival chains Mamas & Papas, which is to close six loss-making stores and make 73 staff redundant.

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