Closure: The game shop at Vicarage Field shopping centre in Barking has closed

The collapse of retailer Game has led to Game and Gamestation stores across London starting to close down.

Almost half the stores run by the retailer are to be closed this week, triggering 2,104 job losses nationwide.

Administrators at PwC said 277 stores in the UK and Ireland are to shut but the remaining 333 stores, which employ 2,814 staff, will continue to trade while they try to find a buyer for the remainder of the business.

The UK operations of the retailer collapsed into administration after it suffered dire trading in recent months, while some suppliers refused to stock the business.

Mike Jervis, joint administrator and partner at PwC, said: “The recent job losses are regrettable but will place the company in a stronger position while we explore opportunities to conclude a sale.

“My team and I will be doing all we can to help the affected employees at this difficult time.”

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.

Mr Jervis said he believes that there is still room for a specialist video games retailer in the UK despite the difficult conditions it has suffered in recent months and remains hopeful the business can be sold as a going concern.

The following is a list of the London Game and Gamestation stores due to close:

Barking, Barnet, Beckton, Brent Cross, Bromley, Camden, Chiswick, Croydon (x2) including one in a Comet, East Ham, Enfield, Harrow, Hounslow, Ilford, Kensington, Kingston, Lewisham, Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, North Finchley, Orpington, Putney, Stratford, Sutton, Uxbridge, Walthamstow, Wandsworth, Wembley, Wood Green, Woolwich.