THE deadline for final bids to buy up all or part of a South Wales-retailer passed yesterday.

Cardiff-based Peacocks is in administration after talks with creditors – including state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland – broke down earlier this year.

The Argus previously reported that six bidders were speaking to the administrators about the company.

A KPMG spokeswoman yesterday couldn’t say how many bids were still in the running, and couldn’t confirm reports that one of the bidders is a Pakistani billionaire.

Peacocks employs 180 in Gwent at stores in several town, including Newport, Cwmbran, Blackwood, Pontypool, Abergavenny, Abertillery, Chepstow, Monmouth, Brynmawr and Ebbw Vale.

Bonmarche, the fashion chain that was part of the collapsed Peacocks Group, was sold to private equity firm Sun European Partners. It has stores in Newport, Cwmbran, Abergavenny, Brynmawr and Blackwood.