商业大臣已致信Poundland（宝特瓶）的所有者，因担忧这家折扣零售商可能陷入破产管理程序，从而威胁到约翰·希利首份预算案的发布。
The business secretary has written to the owner of Poundland amid fears that the cut-price retailer could collapse into administration, threatening to overshadow John Healey's budget.
消息人士透露，去年夏天以1英镑收购这家拥有600家门店的Poundland连锁店的美国投资公司戈登兄弟，似乎即将为这家陷入困境的零售商指定破产管理人。
Sources said that Gordon Brothers, the US investment firm that bought the 600-store Poundland chain for £1 last summer, looks set to appoint administrators to the struggling retailer.
商业大臣乔纳森·雷诺兹已致信戈登兄弟，以了解该公司的最新情况，该公司雇佣了1.2万名员工。
Jonathan Reynolds has written to Gordon Brothers to establish the latest situation at the company, which employs 12,000 staff.
本周早些时候，该公司拒绝了唯一一份以偿债能力公司身份整体接手该集团（包括爱尔兰的50家Dealz门店）的收购要约，该要约来自北爱尔兰的马丁地产集团。
The company rejected the only bid to take on the group – which includes the 50-store Dealz chain in Ireland – as a solvent company in its entirety, from Northern Ireland's Martin Property Group, earlier this week.
据了解，戈登兄弟即将提交指定咨询公司艾睿铂为破产管理人的意向通知，最早可能在周三提交。这一法律措施将在寻求解决方案期间，保护Poundland免受债权人追偿，为期10天。
It is understood Gordon Brothers is poised to file a notice of intention to appoint the advisory firm AlixPartners as administrator, potentially as early as Wednesday. This legal measure would protect Poundland from the demands of creditors for 10 days while a solution to its problems is sought.
三名被任命协助监督出售的独立董事已因对走向破产的举措表示不满而辞职。
Three independent directors appointed to help oversee a sale have quit amid disquiet over the move towards insolvency.
这一举措的时机有可能掩盖希利担任财政大臣后的首份预算案，此前企业界长期抱怨政府强加给企业的成本负担。
The timing of the move threatened to overshadow Healey's first budget as chancellor amid longstanding complaints from companies over costs imposed by the government on businesses.
Poundland首席执行官巴里·威廉姆斯致信员工称，拒绝马丁地产集团的收购要约是“意料之外、不愿见到且完全可以避免的”。北爱尔兰公司提出改进收购要约的可能性并未被排除。
Barry Williams, the boss of Poundland, wrote to workers saying the rejection of the bid from Martin Property Group was "unexpected, unwanted and wholly avoidable". An improved bid from the Northern Irish firm has not been ruled out.
然而，消息人士称，马丁的报价远低于戈登兄弟收回其随Poundland承担的3000万英镑债务的期望。据了解，该报价价值超过1500万英镑，且仅有一部分为预付款。
However, sources said that Martin's bid fell well short of Gordon Brothers' hopes to recoup the £30m in debts it took on with Poundland. The bid is understood to be worth more than £15m, with only a portion upfront.
一位业内人士表示，Poundland的供应商已开始扣留货物，这使得该集团争取救援收购的难度加大。
One industry source said that suppliers to Poundland were already beginning to hold back on deliveries, making it tougher for the group to secure a rescue bid.
业内人士表示，由于 Poundland 在繁忙的圣诞季前库存充足，Gordon Brothers 希望迅速行动。消息人士称，迅速拆分该连锁店，将门店和库存打包出售，将为这家重组专家带来最大回报。
Industry insiders said Gordon Brothers wanted to move quickly as Poundland was flush with stock ahead of the busy Christmas period. A quick break-up of the chain, with parcels of stores and stock sold off, would lead to a maximum return for the restructuring specialist, sources said.
一位消息人士说：“Gordon Brothers 面临一个简单的选择。它可以接受 Martin Group 的报价，该报价价值至少为其以 1 英镑获得的 3000 万英镑的一半，或者通过拆解业务获得显著更多的资金。唯一能改变这一局面的因素是，如果他们感到有道德或公共关系方面的责任。”据悉，Reynolds 已指示其首席战略业务顾问 David Bickerton 就 Poundland 可能倒闭一事“查明事实”，《金融时报》最先报道了此事。
"Gordon Brothers has a simple choice. It can accept an offer from Martin Group, worth at least half of the £30m which it secured for £1, or get significantly more than that by busting the business," a source said. "The only thing that can change this is if they feel the moral or public relations duty." Reynolds has instructed his chief strategic business adviser, David Bickerton, to "establish the facts" regarding Poundland's potential collapse, as first reported by the Financial Times.
据了解，他已联系了 Gordon Brothers，但未联系支持 Martin Property Group 收购案的 Poundland 管理团队。商业部门的一位发言人表示：“我们知道这对 Poundland 的员工、他们的家庭以及全英国的社区来说将是一段令人担忧的时期。
He is understood to have contacted Gordon Brothers but not Poundland's management team, which had backed the Martin Property Group bid. A business department spokesperson said: "We know this will be a concerning time for Poundland employees, their families and communities across the UK.
“这是一个商业程序，最终决定权在于 Poundland 的所有者，因此政府不宜进一步置评。”据了解，Gordon Brothers 认为，通过拆分 Poundland 并将库存和门店出售给多家零售商，它可以筹集更多现金——高达 3000 万英镑——并长期保留更多工作岗位。
"This is a commercial process and ultimately a decision for Poundland's owners, so it would not be appropriate for the government to comment further." Gordon Brothers is understood to believe that it can raise more cash – up to £30m – and keep more jobs in place long-term by breaking up Poundland and selling off the stock and stores to a variety of retailers.
据称最多可能有八家意向方，包括拥有 Poundstretcher 的美国投资公司 Fortress，以及 The Range 的所有者。B&M 据信有意接手至少部分门店。
There could be as many as eight interested parties, including the US investment firm Fortress, which owns Poundstretcher, and the owner of The Range. B&M is thought to be interested in taking on at least some outlets.
然而，一位业内人士表示：“谁会接手 600 家高街门店？”他预测，如果拆分业务，多达 500 家门店可能找不到买家，导致大量失业。
However, one industry insider said: "Who is going to take on 600 high street stores?" He predicted that up to 500 could be left without a buyer in the event of a break-up, leading to significant job losses.
英国商店、分销及相关工人工会秘书长乔安妮·托马斯表示：“我呼吁政府尽一切努力保住这1.1万个工作岗位，这些岗位主要由女性和兼职员工承担。
The general secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, Joanne Thomas, said: "I am calling on the government to do everything it can to save 11,000 jobs, which are mainly done by women and part-time workers.
“过去五年间，零售行业已流失约25万个工作岗位。就业保障是经济成功的关键优先事项；因此，我敦促政府给予零售行业与其他重要产业同等的优先地位和战略支持。”记者已联系戈登兄弟公司寻求置评。
"Over the past five years, around 250,000 jobs have been lost in the retail sector. Job security is a key priority for a successful economy; therefore, I urge the government to grant the retail sector the same priority and strategic support it provides to other vital industries." Gordon Brothers was approached for comment.