A statement announcing the closure on Lairds answerphone simply said the business was now closed, and would not be taking any more orders.

Laird, the Nottingham-based outlet, closed on 1 March, with insolvency practitioners PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) appointed as receivers on 3 March to handle the firms affairs.

Set up in 1982, Laird was part of the York & Ford group, which comprises seven nationwide distribution sites.

York & Ford Paper (Southern), based at Littlehampton, was also put into receivership, but a sale of its assets went to independent merchant Elliott Baxter (Ebb Paper) on 9 March.

Ebb Paper will also take on all 15 of the Littlehampton office staff.

Stuart Maddison, partner with PwCs East Midlands branch, said the directors had decided to put two loss-making entities into receivership while trying to save the main business.

York & Ford Papers accounts to 31 March 2003 show a pre-tax loss of 860,000 against a turnover of 32m.

Story by Andy Scott