Courts furniture store in Botley Road, Oxford, is to shut for good in February after being left off the list of 14 stores sold to a new owner.

The Oxford workforce, understood to be several dozen, are likely to be made redundant and the Botley Road premises sold after accountants Mick McLoughlin and Chris Laverty, of KPMG Corporate Recovery, failed to sell the whole group as a going concern.

Dozens of Oxfordshire customers paid for furniture just before Courts declared itself insolvent, including Beverley Oakley, of Bletchingdon, who is £350 out of pocket.

SB Capital, an investor in Furnitureland and Land of Leather, is buying 14 stores. The remaining stores will open on Thursday, but close again by February 20.

Mr McLoughlin said: "In the circumstances this is the best result we could have achieved for the customers."

He said 4,000 people who had paid in full for furniture which was at the stores or warehouse would have the furniture delivered.

He added: "All of the remaining customers who have made payments in full will receive their original order where possible. If this is not possible, they will have the opportunity to choose an alternative item of the same value."

Customers who have paid by deposit will be offered an alternative item less 10 per cent discount, while others can claim against their credit card companies.

Mr McLoughlin said: "Further details about how customers should proceed will be notified to local press and radio."