Jobs under threat at city’s BHS store
Jobs at a Stirling department store are under threat.
On Monday, British Home Stores (BHS) announced that they had filed for administration.
Up to 800 jobs are at risk in the chain’s Scottish stores, including at the Thistles in Stirling.
The retailer is looking to sell all of its 164 shops across the UK, as it struggles with debts of more than £1.3bn, including £571m in pension liabilities.
It was business as normal at the Stirling store this week, with BHS continue to operate as a buyer is sought.
“The group will continue to trade as usual whilst the administrators seek to sell it as a going concern,” administrators Philip Duffy and Benjamin Wiles, of Duff & Phelps, said in a statement.
In a letter to staff, BHS owner Dominic Chappell said: “It is with a deep heart that I have to report, despite a massive effort from the team, we have been unable to secure a funder or a trade sale.”
Ed Jenkins, head of UK retail for Standard Life Investments , who own The Thistles, said the company would be working with administrators.
He said: “We are disappointed to hear the news that BHS is going into administration so soon after the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). Whilst this situation is very unfortunate, we were aware of the scale of the problem that the company was facing during the CVA process. We are now working closely with administrators to find the best solution for our assets and investors.”
Shop workers union Usdaw said that staff had been left devastated by the news. John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “This is devastating proposals through the City Development Framework.
Mr Byrne is also an enthusiastic supporter of plans to establish a Business Improvement District in Stirling even though traders voted against the scheme last year.
With moves currently afoot for a second vote, Mr Byrne said: “It is about what BID schemes can offer and what they can save. You have to look at things such as procurement and trying to reduce costs for businesses by setting up a large deal or portfolio deal for things such as electricity, gas and water contracts. We don’t want to do the council’s work for them but we want to enhance what they do to improve look and news for the employees of BHS and we urge the company to change their attitude to trade unions and begin a dialogue with us at this difficult and worrying time.
“We also urge the administrators and the company to comply with the law, consult with staff and Usdaw as the union for BHS workers. We don’t want to see BHS staff locked out of discussions, sent to the back of the queue of creditors and treated like fixtures and fittings, as happened at Woolworth’s.
“The government needs to intervene now to protect taxpayers from picking up the bill for redundancy payments and safeguard the Pension Protection Fund.”
Last month, we reported that Stirling was one of 40 stores where bosses had negotiated a deal to temporarily reduce rents. prosperity of the city.”
Mr Byrne is married to Jackie and dad to Matthew, 27; Hannah, 25, and Thomas, 24. He and his wife currently have a home in Bedfordshire but are looking to move up to the Stirling area.
A Manchester United fan, he has had a long association with the Scout movement. He gained the Chief Scout Award and has been a Scout leader since he was 18.
He added: “I hope in the next 12 months we will have in place a firstclass experience for all our customers, an enhanced retail offering, an operational BID in place that will improve the city centre environment for all.” And that’s already quite a shopping list.