A HAMPSHIRE furniture store has closed with the loss of about 20 jobs in the collapse of another national retailer.

The Fabb Sofas outlet at Hedge End has shut after the company failed to find a buyer for the business and was forced to call in the administrators.

And angry Southampton residents Debbie and Dennis Taylor, 58 and 55 respectively, say they have been left £40 out of pocket by the closure after they put down a deposit on a sofa that never arrived.

Debbie, speaking from her home in Heathfield Road, said: “I feel like we have been conned. At least the bank reassured us that future payments won’t come out.

“We’re not the only ones in limbo. I just feel sorry for the people who paid up front for a sofa and who may not have received it.”

Dennis said: “The sofa was supposed to be delivered on Friday, but then Friday came and we heard nothing.

“I called the Hedge End shop and there was only a pre-recorded message saying they had gone into administration.

“If I hadn’t called them we would never have known.”

Fabb Sofas was founded two years ago by billionaire businessman Lord Kirkham, who also launched DFS.

Toby Scott Underwood and Peter David Dickens of PwC have been appointed joint administrators of the company, which has closed nine stores across the country with the loss of 185 jobs.

Its collapse follows the loss of outside funding which was being used to prop up the business.

A statement on the Fabb website says: “Despite achieving significant revenues in such a short period, the business remained reliant on external funding to support trading losses.

“Without external funding, the business could not continue to meet payments as they fall due.”

On Sunday the store in Charles Watts Way, part of Hedge End Retail Park, was deserted.

Mark Baulch, head of policy and representation at Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is always saddened to hear of job losses.

“We understand that the changing face of retail will continue to challenge our retail parks and town centres, so plans need to be in place to embrace the new shopping experience.”

Fabb Sofas is the latest in a series of national retailers to go under.

In the past few months Toys R Us, Maplin and the furniture-makers Warren Evans have folded while Carpetright and Mothercare are restructuring.