Kitchen retailer to close landmark city shop

STRUGGLING Perth city centre has been dealt another major blow as kitchenware giant Lakeland confirmed plans to close its landmark St John Street store.

The retailer will quit the A-listed building in May, with the loss of around a dozen jobs.

Lakeland is next door to the vast Beales department store – formerly McEwans – which shut last year. And it is close to Argos’s High Street branch that shut its doors suddenly in August.

The announcement comes as another major city centre retailer Debenhams continues to fight for its survival, after takeover talks collapsed last month.

Lakeland said its Perth shop will be one of four UK branches – and the only one in Scotland – to close in the first half of 2021.

Confirming the closures “with regret”, the company said it was “very proud of our store teams” and would be supporting them.

SNP MP Pete Wishart said the news was “extremely disappointing”.

“This will leave another property empty on St John Street,” he said.

“Given the major plans afoot for the wider St John’s Square area of Perth, it is really disheartening to see further commercial properties being vacated at this time.

“My thoughts are with the staff and I am available to assist them in any way that I can.”

Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife Murdo Fraser added: “This will be a huge loss to the city centre and it must be a worrying and anxious time for staff.

“Once again, this decision demonstrates the economic devastation caused by lockdown, and also the knock-on effect of the increase in online shopping.

“Sadly, we are seeing more and more large, well-known stores disappear from our high streets.”

Founded in 1964, Windermere-based Lakeland operates around 70 shops in the country.