Riot claims TJ’s Salford store as fresh sales announced
MORE jobs at collapsed retailer TJ Hughes have been saved after the sale of two more stores, but Tuesday’s riots in Salford mean the store there will not re-open.
Administrators Ernst & Young said a deal with Liverpool-based Lewis’s Home Retail, to buy stores in Widnes and Newcastle, would safeguard 134 jobs.
It said though that the unrest in Salford – which saw damage to the store there and theft of stock – meant it would not be re-opened.
“The store has been severely vandalised and a large quantity of stock looted following the rioting which took place on the evening of 9 August.
“As a result it is no longer viable to allow this store to continue to trade.”
Picture gallery: Manchester counts the cost of riots
Joint administrator Tom Jack said: “We had hoped to allow trading to continue for longer at the Salford store to give the best chance of find a buyer but after the attack this is no longer possible.”
Meanwhile Lewis’s Home Retail, a company associated with the Benross Group, is the buyer of the stores in Runcorn and Newcastle. The firm has already acquired four former TJs stores, including the flagship site at London Road, Liverpool, which saved more than 440 jobs.
Anil Juneja, managing director of The Benross Group, said: “Both stores have a solid management structure in place and are well-loved by the local community.
“Widnes is ideally situated to continue TJ Hughes’ reach in the North West, while the Newcastle store has a prominent city centre position. Both stores have strong growth potential.”
He continued: “As with our previous four acquisitions, we’re committed to safeguarding local jobs and rejuvenating the stores – both inside and out.”
The Benross Group has already acquired the TJ Hughes brand, four flagship stores – in Liverpool, Eastbourne, Glasgow and Sheffield – and the website, www.tjhughes.co.uk.
Tom Jack, added:“We are delighted to have completed another deal, which protects further jobs across the North and brings the total number of jobs saved to 576.”
E&Y are continuing to try and sell the company’s remaining business and assets as a going concern.
Last week the administrators said more than 1,000 jobs, including some 400+ in the North West, would be lost as 22 stores would be closed by August 15 unless a buyer was found.
