Furniture store workers are facing an uncertain future for the second time in a year.

Staff at Furnitureland's store in Shoreham were told on Friday that the company has been put into administration.

Many had previously worked for the Courts empire which crashed just before Christmas last year.

It led to angry scenes as customers besieged Courts' stores demanding their furniture or their money back.

Staff at Shoreham thought their jobs were safe when Courts was bought by Furnitureland.

Now they are facing uncertainty again as a result of the latest collapse just six months after the store reopened in March.

However, a spokesman for administrators Ernst and Young said there were no plans for redundancies at this stage.

It is trying to put together another rescue package to sell the business as a going concern.

The Shoreham store was turning away new customers yesterday and security staff were stationed at the doors of its showroom in Eastern Avenue.

Only customers with existing orders were being allowed in to find out if their furniture would be delivered.

A notice informing visitors that the company has gone into administration was posted at the front of the store.

It said the showroom will remain open until October 5 to deal with inquiries from existing customers only.

One staff member said: "We cannot comment to the Press but we are obviously disappointed after what happened with Courts last year."

Courts went into administration in November last year owing £280 million. It shut all its 88 showrooms while administrator KPMG tried to put together a rescue package with SB Capital Europe which bought 14 of the failed Courts stores.

Furnitureland, which has 28 stores, is believed to have collapsed after failing to overcome strong competition and weak trading.

It is believed that the company has up to 20,000 orders still waiting to be met.

Joint administrator Alan Hudson said goods already delivered will be given to customers as soon as any outstanding balance is paid.

Monday, September 26 2005