These are the Mothercare stores in Yorkshire expected to close

Five Mothercare stores in Yorkshire will shut as the parent and child chain wields the axe on 50 underperforming sites.

A list leaked on Twitter by Scottish property consultancy Ditchfield Property appears to state that shops in Bradford, Harrogate, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Crystal Peaks are expected to shut in the next 12 months.A rent reduction is being sought for two more at-risk sites, Huddersfield and Sheffield Meadowhall.

Why Mothercare is closing 50 storesFour stores - Leeds, Hull, Wakefield and York - are unaffected.

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Mothercare is also planning to re-hire the chief executive is sacked just weeks ago as part of a major shake-up.

It has entered into a Company Voluntary Agreement, allowing it to close loss-making stores while securing rental discounts on others.

Mothercare has 3,000 staff across 137 outlets.

Mark Newton-Jones will return as chief executive, while his replacement David Wood will become managing director.

As part of the restructure, Mothercare also announced a refinancing package worth up to £113.5 million.

Chairman Clive Whiley said:

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"The recent financial performance of the business, impacted in particular by a large number of legacy loss-making stores within the UK estate, has resulted in an unsustainable situation for the Mothercare brand, meaning the group was in clear need of an appropriate resolution.

"These comprehensive measures provide a renewed and stable financial structure for the business and will drive a step change in Mothercare's transformation.

"These measures provide a solid platform from which to reposition the group and begin to focus on growth, both in the UK and internationally."