Tesco workers told Telford Homeplus store closing

Supermarket giant Tesco today announced its Homeplus store in Telford – which employs 67 staff – will close within weeks.

Workers at the shop on Forge Retail Park say they were called into a meeting yesterday and told it would be closing its doors on June 9. The move comes after weak sales were reported at Homeplus, which specialises in non-food products such as clothing and electrical appliances.

A worker, who did not want to be named, said the store would be closed in six weeks.

"Staff were informed the store has been scheduled for closure on June 9," he said.

"The Telford branch has been operating on the Telford Forge Retail Park for seven years, and many current staff members have been working there since it launched.

"It is not yet known whether any or all staff will be transferred to other Tesco stores.

"Everybody has been fearing for their livelihoods all week, without any kind of reassurances or even information from Tesco.

"How many positions in local stores are available, and how long will it take to inform staff whether or not they are going to be retained?

"The bosses are holding one-to-one meetings with each member of staff throughout next week but they gave no timescale for the process."

In January the supermarket giant saw billions of pounds wiped from its shares after the group admitted that its £500 million price cut campaign had failed.

A spokeswoman for the supermarket giant said June 9 was a target date to close and added the store would not close before then.

"At Tesco, we review our store estate on an ongoing basis," she said.

"As part of this we have today announced plans to close the Telford Homeplus store.

"We will support all affected staff through the difficult period ahead and will do as much as possible to find them an alternative role in Tesco.

"We will also be working with local job agencies and employers to identify other opportunities."

The other Homeplus stores are in Bracknell, Bristol, Chelmsford, Chester, Manchester, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Preston, Southampton and Bromborough on the Wirral.