‘Closing Down’ signs have been removed from the windows of Beales stores following a complaint from two Scottish politicians.

‘Closing Down – Everything Must Go’ signs were plastered across the stricken department store chain’s 22 stores – including one in Kendal – along with its website shortly after it was announced the company had been put into administration.

However, the signs have been taken down and replaced by ‘Massive Stock Liquidation – Everything Must Go’ after it was taken to task by MP for Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart and MSP for Perthshire North, John Swinney.

The two said the original signs were misleading as no store closures had been confirmed when Beales went into administration two weeks ago putting 22 stores and 1,300 jobs at risk.

And Beales’ administrators KPMG were quick to insist it was business as usual while the search for a buyer continues.

In a statement they said: “The joint administrators of Beales confirm that all of the stores remain open, and will continue to trade while discussions with a number of interested parties regarding a going concern sale of the business remain ongoing.

“Staff across the store network continue to be retained to assist the joint administrators with trading,” it added, confirming that 32 redundancies have been made at the Beales head office in Bournemouth.

It remains unclear how far negotiations with interest parties have gone.

It was reported that talks were being held with two potential buyers – one a rival retailer and the other a venture capital investor – prior to Beales’ collapse.

The closure of its Kendal store would leave a significant hole in the town centre's retail offer, although hopes are high a new tenant could be found should Beales vacate.

Although a Beales store in Hexham store had already been earmarked for closure before it slumped into administration, the landlord of the property on Fore Street, Buccleuch Property, had previously said it was still its intention to consider Beales as part of the future of the site.

It plans to create a mixed-use site that will combine retail, leisure and residential property.