Talks are taking place between the former owner of Oddbins and administrators to save the troubled wine retailer and secure the future of hundreds of workers.

The Press Association reported that advanced talks are taking place between Raj Chatta and insolvency firm Duff & Phelps over a deal to rescue the firm's remaining stores.

It is understood that 13 Oddbins outlets have shut their doors since the business first entered administration in February.

A deal to secure the future of the business will also see a number of its former locations sold to help stabilise its financial future.

The company has continued to trade as a going concern for the past four months as rescue talks took place.

READ MORE: Fears over 500 jobs as Oddbins 'prepares to appoint administrators'

Oddbins was founded by entrepreneur Ahmed Pochee in London in 1963, after starting the firm by delivering wine to clubs and restaurants in the capital.

Mr Chatta's European Food Brokers (EFB), which bought Oddbins out of administration in 2011, appointed administrators for its retail operation, made up of more than 100 Oddbins, Wine Cellar and Whittards Wine Merchants stores.

The parent group and its drinks distribution business did not enter administration.

Duff & Phelps said that Oddbins was a victim of tough times on the High Street, with a decline in consumer spending, and surging business rates and rents.

Duff & Phelps declined to comment. European Food Brokers did not respond to requests for comment.

Consumers are set to continue spending despite economic uncertainty over Brexit but could begin to tighten the purse strings over the next two years, according to a new report.

The EY Item Club forecasts for 2019 predict UK consumer spending growth of 1.6 per cent in 2019, below 1.8% last year.
It continues a trend of slower spending growth, at half the rate of 2016's 3.2% rise.

But the estimates put consumer spending ahead of economic growth as a whole, with gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to grow by 1.3% this year.

READ MORE: Edinburgh recruitment firm builds national business amid Brexit uncertainty

Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said: "The improvement in purchasing power has meant that consumers have been significantly less affected in their spending decisions than businesses by uncertainties over the economy and Brexit."

He added: "However, we suspect earnings growth peaked in early 2019 and is likely to remain modestly below this level over the rest of 2019 and possibly beyond.

"We believe labour market strength will increasingly fray over the coming months as companies tailor their behaviour to a lacklustre domestic economy, prolonged Brexit uncertainties, an unsettled domestic political situation and a challenging global environment."

Government-funded electric vehicle home chargepoints must include smart technology to help drivers limit costs from next month, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

Smart charging can encourage cheaper, off-peak charging and minimise the impact of electric vehicles on the electricity system by reducing demand peaks, the DfT said.

From July 1, devices backed by the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme must be capable of being remotely accessed.

Roads Minister Michael Ellis said: "The Government wants the UK to be the best place in the world to build and own an electric vehicle, with leadership and innovation helping us pave the way to a zero emission future.

"We're in the driving seat of the zero emission revolution. Our new requirements for chargepoints could help keep costs down, ensuring the benefits of green transport are felt by everyone."

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: "A big selling point of green motoring is the low cost of running an electric car.

"Anything that cuts owners' costs still further must be positive, though it will be interesting to see whether these chargers actually deliver the savings drivers now expect."

The Government announced a plan last summer to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040.

Alternatively-fuelled vehicles such as pure electrics and plug-in hybrids made up 6.6% of the new car market in May, compared with 5.6% during the same month in 2018.

Since 2013, the Government has supported the installation of more than 110,000 domestic chargepoints through grants.