A RETAIL tycoon has assured workers at two ill-fated Allders stores that their jobs are safe.

Philip Green, who has bought some of the company's stores, said he will work with staff at the York Piccadilly and Knaresborough stores. But there was bad news for York's Clifton Moor branch, where no buyer has yet come forward and a closing sale has begun.

Department store chain Allders went into administration last month. Mr Green, who owns BHS, has bought ten stores from Kroll, the Allders administrators.

Regarding the 43 staff at York's Piccadilly branch and the 24 in Knaresborough, Mr Green said: "The intention is to use the staff."

Speaking about the Piccadilly store, he said: "We need to have a proper look and see what we are going to do with that location. It will be used as a store, but possibly for a different brand. I have not decided."

The entrepreneur, whose fortune stands at £2.87bn, also owns the Arcadia Group, which includes the brands Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridges, Outfit, Topshop, Topman and Wallis.