Waitrose confirms its Helensburgh store will close this year

As reported by the Advertiser, staff at the supermarket on Cardross Road were informed at a mass meeting at a hotel in Luss on Wednesday morning.

Sharon White, chair of Waitrose's parent company the John Lewis Partnership, announced on Thursday morning that the shop will be one of three Waitrose stores - the only one in Scotland - across the UK to close permanently later this year.

Employees at the Helensburgh store were told at Wednesday's meeting that the shop will close its doors for the last time on Sunday, May 3.

READ MORE: Staff told Helensburgh's Waitrose supermarket will close in May

Peter Ibbotson, Waitrose and Partners regional manager, said: “The sale of our shop in Helensburgh is not something we take lightly, but we have sadly not been able to find a way to make the shop commercially sustainable in the long term.

“Our priority is our Partners working there who will be fully supported throughout the process and we will identify opportunities for those wishing to remain with the business wherever possible.”

It's understood that 123 employees at the Burgh store are facing redundancy.

A statement on the John Lewis Partnership's financial performance revealed that profits in 2019-20 were 23 per cent down on the previous year.

The partnership said the "weaker performance than we had hoped for" was driven by "significantly reduced profitability in John Lewis" and was "despite a solid performance in Waitrose".

Ms White said: "Over the last few years we have reviewed Waitrose stores that were no longer viable and today we are announcing three Waitrose stores that will close later this year, at Helensburgh, Four Oaks [in the West Midlands] and Waterlooville [in Hampshire].

"These decisions are never taken lightly and every partner who wishes to stay in the partnership will be actively supported to do so."

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