VIDEO games stores in Worcester are not to close despite Game collapsing into administration.

Neither Game in Crown-Gate shopping centre nor Gamestation in Broad Street are among the 277 stores in the UK and Ireland which will close.

PcW, administrators of the collapsed video games retailer, announced they will close 277 stores in the UK and Ireland, leading to 2,104 job losses this week.

Game Group, which has 609 stores under the names Game and Gamestation, has suffered dire trading in recent months while some suppliers refused to stock the retailer as its worsening finances came under increased scrutiny.

The group’s lenders were reportedly working on plans to buy a slimmed-down version of the retailer out of administration.

A consortium of existing banks led by State-backed Royal Bank of Scotland is understood to be among three potential bidders, along with American rival GameStop and OpCapita, which recently acquired consumer electronics business Comet.

The chain’s demise follows a string of profit warnings and the failure of nervous suppliers, including Electronic Arts and Nintendo, to go on providing new games.

The retailer had a £21 million rent bill due on Sunday and faces a £12 million wage bill this weekend, although PwC is expected to honour any wages owed. There is also £10 million in VAT and £40 million owed to suppliers.

Game suffered a dismal Christmas and was later forc-ed to ask suppliers for more generous trading terms.

But many stopped supplying it with new releases, such as Mass Effect 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken, leaving fans disappointed and adding to the group’s trading woes.

The group has already signalled that losses for the year to the end of January are likely to be about £18 million.