DELIVERIES of goods bought by PowerHouse customers in Hampshire before the electrical chain's collapse will be honoured by its new owners.

New Zealand-based Pacific Retail Group, which acquired the company from administrators earlier this month, has taken on the responsibility.

It has also safeguarded 35,000 warranties and is working to ensure cover for another 170,000 policies nationally.

Pacific is paying more than £2m to wipe out the legacy of the previous operation, although it is not obliged to do so.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the PowerHouse outlet at Winchester closed down.

There are two other local superstore outlets trading as normal at Hedge End and Nursling near Southampton.

Peter Halkett, chief executive of New PowerHouse, said: "We felt that it was deeply unfair that many of the customers of the old PowerHouse business had lost out.

"New PowerHouse is about making it easier for our customers and building a long-term relationship with them."

New Zealand-based Pacific Retail took on 134 stores and saved more than 2,000 jobs when it acquired the majority of the chain.Administrators Deloitte & Touche had earlier closed 93 outlets, at a cost of 800 jobs, after a trade insurer withdrew cover for some of its suppliers last month.