Restaurant The Duck’s Nuts, part of the Horsham International Hotel, will honour all Dick Smith vouchers for a week.

The vouchers will be redeemable at the restaurant from Monday to Sunday this week. The electronics retailer went into voluntary administration on Monday last week.

The business blamed low sales and poor cash generation in December for the move.

McGrathNicol has been appointed as Dick Smith’s voluntary administrator.

Receiver James Stewart said because of the group’s financial circumstances, outstanding gift vouchers could not be honoured.

He said deposits made on items would not be refunded.

Horsham International Hotel owner Peter Matheson said management was shocked to find out Wimmera people would not be able to redeem their vouchers.

“We’ve spoken to the Horsham store and they said they’re trading as normal but aren’t allowed to honour any vouchers,” he said.

“The administrators have basically said they won’t honour these at all.”

Mr Matheson said the offer to use the vouchers at the restaurant was open to anyone in the Wimmera.

“If somebody has a voucher or a gift card, make a booking, come into the restaurant – food and drinks will be complimentary up to that amount,” he said.

Mr Matheson said the gesture was a way for the business to say thank you to the community for embracing the business in its first year.

“We’ve been in town for 12 months as The Duck’s Nuts and the International Hotel,” he said.

“We’ve had enormous growth and the town has been so supportive of us.

”We’re doing extremely well and we feel sorry for the people who are at a loss.

“The least we could do is honour these vouchers.”

The Duck’s Nuts restaurant is on Baillie Street in Horsham.

Mr Matheson said anyone with a Dick Smith voucher could call The Duck’s Nuts this week on 5381 7555 to book a table.

The future of Dick Smith stores, including the Horsham store in Hamilton Street, is still up in the air.

Mr Stewart said the receivers would continue to pay employees.