Merchant Retail Group has announced that it is selling all of its UK Joplings department stores with the loss of more than 600 jobs, to concentrate on its 100 cut-price perfume stores as well as its general outlet in Jersey. Merchant's Tynedale Park store, in Northumberland, has been sold to Tesco for £17m, but a buyer has yet to be found for the other two North Eastern stores in Hexham and Sunderland. The group said that if no buyer is found, the stores will be closed down.