Local representatives in Strabane have requested an urgent meeting with New Look in order to save 20 jobs under threat at the store.
The development of a new Lidl superstore at the grounds of Strabane Retail Park in the Co Tyrone town has led to a number of businesses seeking alternative premises.
While Argos and others have confirmed their intention to move their stores to the town centre, New Look has yet to secure a new location and have instead commenced a redundancy process for the 20 staff at the shop.
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More than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling on New Look to relocate to another premises and save the jobs.
Members of the Business and Culture Committee at Derry City and Strabane District Council backed a proposal on Tuesday asking for delay to the transfer of the lease to the German supermarket for a solution to be found.
“New Look is telling us one thing that they are staying in Strabane and they definitely will be relocating, but they are not telling the staff this,” SDLP councillor Jason Barr said.
“Now what’s happened is they have started the redundancy process for the staff which finishes now on 8 July.
“The time frame is very narrow now to hopefully persuade New Look to either relocate pretty quickly or ask Lidl for an extension.
“Back in 2018 the managers of New Look were asked to find suitable premises for a pop up shop when they came back with these proposals to those above them.
“They haven’t heard anything back as yet. All our elected reps in Strabane have been calling for this…we’re all collective on the one issue here to getting this resolved for all the staff in New Look.
“This is a very worrying time, not only for the female gender fashion but mainly for the staff.
“Now is not the time to see staff being made redundant, especially from a company which states that that New Look store in Strabane is one of the most profitable in the North.
“It’s hard to get your head around and they don’t seem to be giving out too many answers, especially when their closing date is 22 July.
“I propose that this council writes to Lidl to ask that they will hold back and grant extension to the lease so New Look can keep their staff employed and give them extra time to find a suitable location and for Lidl also to approach New Look and engage with them on this issue.”
Maurice Devenney from the DUP backed Cllr Barr’s proposal, and asked what the company is actually doing to secure new premises in Strabane.
“Very supportive of the proposal, I think we’re well in the know of what’s going on in New Look and this is the last thing we want to see going on at the minute is jobs being lost,” Cllr Devenney said.
“I have to welcome the other businesses which have found suitable premises.
“For New Look this is one of the most profitable stores they have and I can’t understand what is going on there.
“I know we’re asking Lidl to hold back to allow New Look a bit of time, but I wonder what New Look are doing themselves to find suitable premises. I think that’s a question very clearly needs to be asked.”
Patricia Logue of Sinn Féin also urged New Look to provide clarity ‘sooner rather than later’.
“It must be a very worrying time for all the employees involved so I would have no issue with inviting those store or stores involved in this to give clarity first and foremost to the workforce but also to people of the Strabane district.
“I think it’s imperative that they come in sooner rather than later.”
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