The Stornoway branch of clothing chain M&Co will definitely close in the spring, it’s been confirmed.
Staff at the store’s branch on Cromwell Street said today (Monday 6 February) that they had heard the news last week and that it confirmed their expectations, although they had tried to remain hopeful of a better outcome.
Comfirmation of store closures came publicly from the Renfrewshire-based company on Saturday, when they announced on social media that, although the brand and intellectual property of the company had been bought, none of the stores had found a buyer.
M&Co, formerly Mackays, announced they had gone into administration early in December, with receivers appointed to attempt a sale of the high street fashion brand.
Since then, stores including Stornoway have carried ‘sale’ and ‘closing down’ window displays, but it was hoped that some of the chain would find a buyer prepared to run them as a going concern.
Instead, on Saturday a Facebook post from the company was repeated by different branches around the country, including at Wick, Musselburgh and across England.
The statement said: “Unfortunately we haven't received the news we would have hoped for during our administration period.
“As we haven't received any funded, deliverable offers that would result in the transfer of the company's stores or staff to a potential buyer, this means that all of our stores will close.
“The M&Co 'brand' has been purchased, but unfortunately this does not include a future for our stores, website or staff.
“We will trade all of our stores until Easter, and then begin the closedown process. We will update you closer to the time of our actual closing date.
“We hope you will appreciate this is also a very difficult time for staff working in the stores and we ask for respect and understanding when raising an issue.”
Stornoway store manager Rachel Mackay said today: “We’ve been waiting to hear good news, but unfortunately it was not to be.
“We had tried to stay hopeful, but there was an inevitability about this announcement so we are not really surprised.”
None of the 11 employees in Stornoway have yet found alternative employment.
It’s thought 2,000 employees in 170 stores are to lose their jobs.