RBS buy-out of game imminent, reports

Life

There could be good news for Game employees in Ireland on the cards as rumours have begun circulating that RBS is on the verge of a buying out the troubled retailer. The bank, owned by the UK taxpayer, rejected two bids by British investment firm and owners of electrical chain Comet, OpCapita, leading to speculation that the bank itself may be about to make a move.

If a sale is imminent this would be good news for staff of the 277 stores closed earlier this week when Game Group, Games parent company, went into administration. Stores were closed without notice last Tuesday, prompting sit-in protests by staff over unpaid wages and redundancy entitlements.

As Game Group and its administrator Pricewaterhouse Coopers have had no contact with staff in the Republic, however, the situation remains unclear as to how the Irish operation will be reactivated, if at all. Public representatives from Sinn Fein, the Socialist Party and Independent TDs Joe Higgins and Richard Boyd Barrett have leant public support to the workers.

At time of writing today Game’s UK websites, Game.co.uk and Gamestation.co.uk have reopened for trading.

TechCentral Reporters