Two shops to shut as part of restructuring at stationery firm

Two stores are to close in the North West as part of the restructuring at stationary chain Office Outlet.

The firm, which formerly traded as Staples is to close 16 stores in total with the loss of 161 jobs.

Office Outlet went into administration last month after it was announced the company is on the search for a new owner to manage its 90 UK stores.

At the time, the company revealed it was struggling to survive putting 1,200 jobs on the line.

Joint administrator at Deloitte Richard Hawes said: “The company has recently experienced a reduction in credit from key suppliers, given the economic outlook which has severely impacted the financial position of the company.”

He added he was hopeful that a buyer could be found and that the business would carry on trading “with that in mind”.

However, the company has now announced its first wave of store closures.

Nine stores will close on 7 April, and a further seven on 10 April, resulting in 161 redundancies.

The redundancies will be at the locations below, with the number of employees at each store marked in brackets.

The redundancies will take effect two days after the stores close.

7 April:

Beckton (13)
Catterick (13)
Gloucester (9)
Newport, Isle of Wight (9)
Merton (7)
Newcastle (10)
Plymouth (9)
Staples Corner (8)
Stratford (10)

10 April

Cardiff (11)
Carlisle (8)
Manchester (13)
Old Kent Road (9)
Southampton (12)
Walsall (8)