Job losses for Campbeltown, Dunoon, Helensburgh, Oban and Rothesay with imminent closure of Woolworths’ stores

It has just been announced (17th December 2008) that all 807 of Woolworths‘ stores in the UK are to close by 5th January 2009. Some will close on 27th December and all 27,000 staff, permanent and temporary, will lose their jobs if no last-minute buyer is found.

Many of Argyll’s major towns are host to Woolworths – Dunoon, Helensburgh, Campbeltown, Oban and Rothesay. It is not yet known which of the Argyll stores are slated for closure on 27th December or on 5th January except that Rothesay’s store will be gone by the end of December. That will cost the island 18 jobs.

People in those areas who work in their town’s store will find it hard to concentrate on Christmas and Hogmanay. Not only are their jobs all but doomed but the daily increase of job losses in Scotland will make alternatives hard to find.

Retailers with existign business in food, clothes and the ‘value’ end of the market have put in bids for the leases at around 300 of the chain’s individual stores.

The administrators, Deloitte, say that should any of these bids succeed, they will work to put redundant Woolworths staff in contact with these potential new employers.

Deloitte’s say it is unclear how much of Woolworths’ debts will be paid, but note that: ‘it is clear that the creditors and suppliers will not get paid in full’.