None of Kent's branches of Patisserie Valerie will be closed, accountants have confirmed.

It was announced yesterday that the company, which has four branches across the county, had fallen into administration.

This came after rescue talks between Patisserie Valerie and its lenders, HSBC and Barclays, fell apart.

The chain employs more than 3,000 people nationwide and has branches in Maidstone, Canterbury, Ashford and Tunbridge Wells.

Joint administrator Blair Nimmo from KPMG said yesterday: “Our intention is to continue trading across the profitable stores, as collectively, the brands have a strong presence on the high street and have proven very popular with consumers.

"At the same time, we will be seeking a buyer for the business and are hopeful of a good level of interest.

“However, we have had to take the difficult decision to close 70 stores resulting in a significant number of redundancies. We will be working with those affected employees, providing all the support and assistance they need.”

The cafe is the latest high street brand forced to close stores with Debenhams and M&S making announcements earlier this year.