READING'S HMV store will now remain OPEN after being saved for the second time in two years.

Five of the stores which had been at risk of closing have been recovered after the company was able to secure new agreements with its landlords.

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However, the music retailer warned a further three stores could still shut at the end of January unless new deals can be reached.

Two other stores - which the company previously said were also at risk - will shut at the end of the month, bringing the total due to close in January to five.

The company previously confirmed that its HMV Bury St Edmunds, Fopp Glasgow on Byres Road and HMV Nuneaton stores will shut at the end of the month.

HMV said that some stores were no longer viable due to "extortionate" business rates in certain locations.

The other HMV stores that had been at risk of closure, but will now remain open are: Glasgow Braehead, Edinburgh Ocean Terminal, Sheffield Meadowhall and Grimsby.

The three stores still under threat of closure are Bristol Cribbs, Worcester and Merryhill.

Its Birmingham Bullring and Leeds Headrow stores will shut at the end of January, the company said.

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In a previous statement, the company said: "The closures are no reflection on our superb staff and where we are not able to come to a new agreement or relocate staff within the business elsewhere, unfortunately this does mean some of our staff will lose their jobs."

HMV was purchased in a rescue deal by music mogul Doug Putman in February 2019 after it crashed into administration for the second time in five years in December 2018.

Mr Putman, who runs the Canadian retailer Sunrise Records, closed 15 stores after taking control of the business.