The Whittard of Chelsea name is likely to stay on Canterbury High Street after the company was sold.

The tea and coffee chain which has 130 stores went into adminstration on Tuesday and was immediately sold to private equity company EPIC by administrator Ernst & Young.

An Ernst & Young spokesman said the business would continue to operate as a going concern and remain open as usual.

The 122-year-old company is the latest to be hit by the downturn in consumer spending following the recent collapse of Woolworths and MFI.