Carpetright store employees in Bracknell have been made redundant with immediate effect after the business entered administration.

The company employs over 1,800 people across their 413 stores in the UK. Tapi, another carpet and floors store, purchased 53 of the 413 stores across the UK - but Bracknell was not on the list.

A Staff member claimed on Facebook that herself and colleagues at the Bracknell branch were ‘advised that the team would be in place during the administration part of the process’. They were also told to advise customers the same – only to be told that the store would be closed straight away.

Tapi initially wanted to save all Carpetright stores, but quickly realised this would be ‘unviable’.

Carpetright is the latest store to shut down in Bracknell after hundreds of businesses across the Borough closed between 2022 and 2023.

Many of these were big brands located in the Lexicon shopping centre – including Paperchase, Menkind and Seasalt. The Body Shop is also set to go into administration.

Reacting to the news, the new MP for Bracknell Peter Swallow wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): “Very sad news that Bracknell Carpetright has closed its doors.

“My thoughts go out to local workers who have lost their jobs.”

He continued: “We desperately need to breath life back into our highstreets and shopping centres, and that starts with reforming business rates.”

Peter Swallow, the new Labour MP for Bracknell, promised that reforming business rates would help with closures like Carpetright.

Speaking to the News in the run up to the election, Mr Swallow said: “I want to see the current business rates system scrapped in favour of a fairer system, to level the playing field between high street business and online retailers.

“Labour will end the blight of empty shops and pubs by introducing a powerful new Community Right to Buy.”

His party’s manifesto did not make clear what the business rates would be replaced with.

The staff member said on Facebook that she had ‘loved every second’ of working with ‘wonderful customers’ at Carpetright, which was met with a flood of support and praise for her ‘excellent’ customer service.

One of her former colleagues commented:  “I had the pleasure of working with you myself for about three years. It’s very sad to see Carpetright go after all these years.”

The carpet seller was first founded in 1988, with owner Lord Philip Harris dubbed the ‘king of carpets’.