THE future of a men’s tailor in Winchester is uncertain after its parent company was put into liquidation.

The owner of the bespoke tailor Gieves & Hawkes, Hong Kong conglomerate Trinity said this week that FTI Consulting and R&H Services had been appointed as joint liquidators.

It said the liquidators were “considering the opportunity of a possible restructuring”.

The business was placed into liquidation at the request of Standard Chartered following a failed attempt to find a buyer for the brands owned by Trinity, The Times reported.

It means Gieves & Hawkes, which has been trading for about 250 years, is at risk of permanent closure.

READ MORE: Gieves & Hawkes looking to be bought out of administration

The Chronicle reported previously that there had been hopes for the Winchester store.

A spokesperson for Gieves & Hawkes, based in The Square, said: “We’ve been in administration for about a year now. We’re up for sale and looking to be brought out in the New Year. There’s been quite a lot of interest in us.”

As uncertainty loomed, the Winchester branch’s tailor, Sew Fit, based in Parchment Street, has stopped its services with the brand, with clients going to them direct.

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A spokesperson for Sew Fit, who wished not to be named, said: “Customers are now coming directly here. Most of the time customers prefer to come directly here because they can explain what they want and I’ll get it done how they want. Somehow it gets more complicated. They (the customer) take the job there (Gieves & Hawkes) and bring it here to get it finished but it’s best to bring it directly here.”

Founded in 1771, Gieves & Hawkes is one of the oldest bespoke tailoring companies in the world, holding Royal Warrants and providing ready-to-wear as well as bespoke and military tailoring.