More than 120 jobs are at risk after Waitrose confirmed proposals to shut its store in Newcastle city centre amid “challenging” trading conditions.
The store opened in Newcastle’s Eldon Square shopping complex 14 years ago and has proved popular with city centre workers and residents as well as visiting shoppers. However, owner John Lewis Partnership has now confirmed that the Newcastle store and the Croydon have both been earmarked for closure, putting jobs on the line.
A total of 123 staff members – which the firm refer to as ‘partners’ – are affected in Newcastle, and it is understood that 70 are affected at the Croydon store. The company said that the shop will close on November 12, subject to consultation with its partners working there, and that the announcement does not affect the John Lewis department store in Eldon Square.
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The company said: “We have found trading challenging here in the last few years and, despite the best efforts of Partners, we have not been able to find a way to make the shop profitable in the long-term.
“Our priority is our 123 Partners working in the store who will now enter a period of consultation. They will be fully supported throughout the process.
“If the proposed closure goes ahead, every effort will be made to find new roles for those who wish to remain within the Partnership. Opportunities will include transferring to local Waitrose shops or working for johnlewis.com and waitrose.com. Newcastle would continue to be served by waitrose.com in the event the closure is confirmed.”
Waitrose said it is committed to providing support to partners who are at risk of redundancy and that its Retraining Fund will contribute up to £3,000 towards a recognised qualification or course for up to two years for any partner with two years’ service or more who is made redundant.
They would also be given access to a three month support programme with an outplacement specialist to help with CV writing and interview skills.
It also said that as well as statutory redundancy payments, Partners who have worked with the business for more than a year would be entitled to Partnership redundancy pay, which equates to two weeks’ pay for every year of service, regardless of age. Those with less than one year’s service will get a tax-free payment equivalent to one week’s contractual pay.
James Allen, head of retail for Waitrose, said: “We realise the proposed closure is very sad news for our Eldon Square customers and Partners working there, who have worked so hard. When we first opened here 14 years ago we had every intention that we would be here for many years to come, but unfortunately we have found trade challenging for some time. The future and wellbeing of our Partners is our priority and we will do everything we can to support them over the coming months.”
Waitrose has several other stores in the North East, in Ponteland, Hexham and Jesmond.
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