ANOTHER Hereford city centre store could be under threat with news that HMV is in administration for a second time.

The music retailer has more than 120 stores nationwide, employing more than 2,200 people.

But the company was forced into administration less than six years ago and now, with high street trading conditions remaining difficult and the continuing rise of online retailers, has now been forced down that route again.

HMV was taken over by Hilco, a specialist in restructuring companies, back in 2013.

The firm, whose Hereford branch is in Commercial Street, was founded back in 1921to sell gramophones, radios and music hall recordings. The Oxford Street store was opened by Sir Edward Elgar.

HMV stands for His Master's Voice with their famous logo showing Nipper the dog looking down the speaker of an old-fashioned record player.

Paul McGowan, executive chairman of HMV and Hilco, said: "During the key Christmas trading period the market for DVD fell by over 30% compared to the previous year and, whilst HMV performed considerably better than that, such a deterioration in a key sector of the market is unsustainable.

"HMV has clearly not been insulated from the general malaise of the UK high street and has suffered the same challenges with business rates and other government-centric policies which have led to increased fixed costs in the business.

"Business rates alone represent an annual cost to HMV in excess of £15 million. Even an exceptionally well-run and much-loved business such as HMV cannot withstand the tsunami of challenges facing UK retailers over the last 12 months on top of such a dramatic change in consumer behaviour in the entertainment market."