UK retailer Comet closes down

Shoppers wait to enter a Comet store yesterday in Leicester, England. British electrical retailer Comet opened its doors for the final time yesterday after nearly 80 years. The last 49 stores of what was a 235-strong chain are closing after Comet's new owners failed to deal with a sour British economy and the online shopping revolution. Its demise will cost 6,900 people their jobs, while the government will be left holding the bag for nearly 50 million pounds (US$810 million) in unpaid taxes and the cost of paying off employees.