Homemaker closure puts 17 Co-op jobs at risk
UP to 17 jobs are at risk after the Channel Islands Co-operative Society announced it is shutting its Homemaker store in Guernsey.
Chief executive Colin Macleod blamed challenging business conditions for the decision, with the store closing its doors in March.
‘It is with a heavy heart that we have taken the difficult decision to close our Homemaker store in Guernsey in response to a number of business factors,’ he said.
‘Seventeen colleagues who work in or support the store have been informed of the closure and we are fully committed to offering roles to each of these valued employees in other areas of the society.’
The Jersey Homemaker store closed in 2016 and is now occupied by UK homewares retailer Dunelm.
Since the closure of the Jersey Homemaker store, Mr Macleod said: ‘It has become increasingly difficult to competitively source products for the Guernsey store with the reduction in scale.
‘This can mean that we are operating up to a 12-week lead time for the delivery of goods.
‘These factors and the ever-increasing dominance of large online retailers in the non-food market have led to a decline in market share in certain categories and has adversely affected sales in recent times.’
To compensate for the closure of Homemaker, the society is looking to enhance the non-food offer at Grand Marche St Martin’s and St Sampson’s.
That will be limited to small electrical items, kitchen accessories, seasonal lines and one-off promotional products and will rely on what is available through the Co-op Group in Manchester.
All outstanding customer orders and commitments will be honoured, the society said.
Customers with gift vouchers should speak to the Homemaker team or the customer relations department, but all will be honoured.
It is anticipated that the Homemaker site will be leased to a third party and the site considered for redevelopment in the longer term.
In 2016, planning permission was granted to demolish the building and build two retail blocks, with 72 parking spaces. That permission is valid until July 2019, but no work has started.
