Moyses Stevens, the Covent-Garden based florist has gone into administration after more than 130 years of trading.

Martin Atkins and Freddy Khalastchi of Harris Lipman have been appointed as joint liquidators of the company, which has become the lastest victim of challenging trading conditions in the retail sector.

Moyses Stevens was established in 1876 and supplies customers nationwide from its three London outlets, including a concession at Peter Jones in Sloane Square, a floristry studio and a head office in New Covent Garden Flower Market.

26 of its 45 employees clung onto their jobs as a result of the administration process. The contract and events side of Moyses Stevens and its Peter Jones concession have been sold to London florists Blakes Flowers, which will continue to use the Moyses Stevens name, the administrators said.

Martin Atkins added: 'In these difficult times, it was pleasing that we were able to rescue a sizeable proportion of the business, thus preserving as many jobs as possible and retaining an extremely well-known name within the floristry market.'