Shock as shops set to close
MORE store closures have been announced in the city centre.
Marks & Spencer is closing a city centre branch, EAT will go from Sauchiehall Street and Poundworld is on the brink of administration.
House of Fraser will, however, save its Glasgow store despite closing more than half of its shops in the UK.
The 30 staff at Marks & Spencer will reportedly move to other stores.
MAJOR changes to the retail landscape in Glasgow have been announced with several stores expected to close.
Sandwich chain store EAT, Marks & Spencer and Poundworld all made announcements about some of their retail operations in the city.
The Evening Times can exclusively reveal that EAT, which is popular with the city’s lunchtime crowd, will close its Sauchiehall Street branch for good this week.
The company did not reveal anymore details about the decision but The Evening Times understands staff were told that they want to focus on their operations in London.
The company also have a branch in Gordon Street which will remain open and it is understood staff were offered the option of taking up positions at Edinburgh Airport.
An EAT spokesman said: “Our Sauchiehall Street store will be closing this week. Our valued colleagues working there have all been informed, and have been offered roles in other locations.”
Marks & Spencer also said they will close their Bothwell Street food outlet.
The British i nstitution confirmed that the 30 staff working at the store will move on to other Marks & Spencer stores.
Marks & Spencer also said the decision not to renew the lease of the store in the city centre was a “difficult one”.
David Bates, head of region for Scotland West at Marks & Spencer, said: “The decision not to renew our lease and therefore close our small food store on Bothwell Street was a difficult one to make. I understand many of our loyal customers will be disappointed and we hope to see these customers at one of our other local stores in central Glasgow including Argyle Street and Sauchiehall Street.
“We’ve got a great team of 30 colleagues at the Bothwell Street store who I’m pleased will all move to work at these nearby stores.”
Last month, we reported that Marks & Spencer East Kilbride had been earmarked for closure and a period of consultation with the staff is ongoing.
Poundworld also said yesterday that they are poised to announce their intention to appoint administrators, putting around 5,300 jobs at risk.
The budget retailer is low on cash and is filing the notice because it will give the business protection from its creditors for two weeks. They currently have stores in Argyle Street, The Forge Shopping Centre, Shawlands and Robroyston.
House of Fraser will, however, save their Glasgow store despite plans to close more than half of its shops. The department store chain will close 31 of its 59 stores. The retail giant began with a single drapery shop, opened in Glasgow by Hugh Fraser and James Arthur in 1849.