WOOLWORTHS’ Chester store is to close at the end of the month after the national chain went into administration.
Administrators Deloitte announced that the final day’s trading at the Foregate Street outlet will be on Tuesday December 30.
Across the country more than 807 Woolworths stores will close resulting in 27,000 job losses.
But the Chester store would have closed any way after the owners of the building, Redevco UK Ltd, agreed to lease the site to Primark two months ago, subject to planning permission for an extension.
Primark spokesman Geoff Lancaster said the new store would open during the middle to late part of 2009 following a refurbishment.
He said there was “no question” of keeping on Woolworths’ staff because of the gap between closing the old store and opening the new one, but it was normal procedure to interview former employees because of their local knowledge.
There are normally 72 workers at Woolworths with another 108 at Christmas time. It is estimated that Primark could see the workforce increase to 147 during normal operation and 211 at peak and Christmas time.
Redevco has submitted plans to extend the store by 6,000 sq ft which will go before town hall planners on January 28. The application is for the extension of the ground floor at the rear of the current building.
