TM Lewin will close all stores and axe 600 jobs after collapsing into administration

TM Lewin has become the latest retailer to collapse into administration, with 600 jobs lost.

The 122-year-old shirtmaker’s 66 shops, which also sell shoes and suits, will disappear from the UK high street but its online platform will remain.

The firm blamed the coronavirus pandemic for the move to digital-only as it could not afford to pay rents after stores shut in March.

A source told MailOnline an email was sent to staff 25 minutes before a Microsoft team meeting to tell them they were being made redundant.

The woman, who worked for the company, said the conference lasted four minutes with 110 staff on one call.

She said the meeting was held by the new owner of TM Lewin, Torque, with CEO James Doyan hosting it.

She added: ‘There was no chance for anyone to ask questions or have any say. We were told to mute ourselves and turn off our cameras for the meeting.’

It comes a month after the company was taken over by Torque Brands.

A spokesman told the Telegraph: ‘This has forced our hands to focus on a radical overhaul of the business model, rebuilding from the ground up in a fashion we deem fit for the years to come.

‘We are committed to selling quality tailoring to a global audience, but crucially in a financially sustainable fashion.

‘The decision to significantly reduce the scale of the business in order to preserve its future will regrettably result in job losses as a direct result of the closing of the store network as we right-size the business.’