Passion for Perfume in administration

LONDON (Reuters) - Business consultancy Deloitte said on Monday it had been appointed as administrator to British retailer Passion for Perfume and that 194 jobs had been cut in the latest casualty of the downturn in consumer spending.

Deloitte said 185 jobs had been axed across the retailer's 45 stores, with another 9 cut at its head office in Manchester.

"We will continue to seek a buyer for the business and assets of the company but do not intend to trade the business," Deloitte said in a statement.

Passion for Perfume follows a string of other retailers into administration, a form of creditor protection, as consumers cut back spending amid rising unemployment, diving house prices and fears of a deep recession.

Ireland's Waterford Wedgwood, which owns British china makers Royal Doulton and Wedgwood, said earlier on Monday that it had called in receivers after failing to buy more time from creditors.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, administrators to children's wear retailer Adams, also said on Monday it had closed 111 stores, with the loss of around 850 jobs.

(Reporting by Mark Potter, Editing by James Davey)