The chill wind that has been threatening to blow into the high street claimed D2 in the final week of December. On 30 December, it struck Hawkin’s Bazaar.

The toy chain entered into administration with its owner Tobar Group citing difficult trading conditions on the high street. This is the same retailer who announced its arrival in two of the largest UK shopping centres – the Bullring in Birmingham and at Stratford – in mid December to take its permanent store numbers in the UK to 65.

At the time in an interview with Shopping Centre magazine, Hawkin’s Bazaar CEO, Lyle Finlay, said; “We have tried to secure space at Bullring for a number of years but our ability to up our game on rental levels this year has finally enabled us to gain representation here. Stratford was more last more of a last minute decision but with the John Lewis anchor, it’s excellent communications and the forthcoming Olympic games, from a visit a few months back, it was clear that this scheme was for us”.

The toy chain had rapidly expanded on to the high street in recent years, having built up a mail order and wholesale business.

Quoted in The Times, Peter Saville, a joint administrator at Zolfo Cooper, said: “In common with many retailers the group has experienced exceptionally challenging trading conditions of late. At this stage we intend to continue to trade the component parts of the group whilst we seek a buyer for all or parts of its operations.

“We will be working closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we identify the best possible outcomes regarding preservation of jobs, the value of the business and returns to creditors. As this work continues we will seek to make further announcements as appropriate.”

Founded in 1973, Tobar Group company lost £3.5 million before tax last year. It had expanded rapidly. Lyle Finlay, the chief executive, said in April that it planned to expand from 60 to up to 170 stores.

“It makes sense to open as many as we can,” he told Retail Week magazine at the time.

Zolfo Cooper said that customers holding gift vouchers could still exchange them for gifts. That, at least, will be of comfort to shoppers. The future for the retailer’s 350+ staff however, is far less certain.