Home   News   Article

Two of three Carphone Warehouse shops in Inverness to close this spring


By Philip Murray

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!
Carphone Warehouse is to close two of its three retail outlets in Inverness.
Carphone Warehouse is to close two of its three retail outlets in Inverness.

TWO of the three Carphone Warehouse shops in Inverness are to close this spring after the company announced plans to shut all of its standalone stores across the UK.

The retail giant has 531 standalone stores in the UK, including two outlets in the Highland capital ­- located at the Inverness Shopping Park in Eastfield Way, and Inglis Street in the city centre.

The technology retailer has a further 305 outlets located inside Currys/PC World stores across the UK - including in the city's Telford Street site. These are not affected by today's announcement and will continue to operate as normal.

Some 2900 staff are expected to lose their jobs as a result of the news, which has been blamed on changing shoppng habits as people switch to buying more items online or from within the larger shared outlets. The closures will take place from April 3.

The company said it expects that a further 1800 staff, or 40 per cent of staff employed at the axed stores, will take new roles elsewhere in the firm.

The decision was not influenced by the ongoing impact of the coronavirus Covid-19 - which is expected to cause an economic shock for many retailers and has sparked recession fears across the globe.

Alex Baldock, the Group Chief Executive of Carphone Warehouse's parent company Dixons Carphone, said: “Customers are changing how they buy technology, and Dixons Carphone must change with them. We’re underway with a fundamental transformation to do so. Today’s tough decision is an essential part of that, the next step in making our UK mobile business a success for customers, colleagues and other shareholders.

"Clearly, with unsustainable losses of £90m expected this year, Mobile is currently holding back the whole business. There’s never an easy time for an announcement like this, but the turbulent times ahead only underline the importance of acting now.

"I don’t underestimate how upsetting this news will be for our colleagues, and we’ll treat everyone with honesty, respect and care.

"We want to keep as many of our Carphone Warehouse colleagues as we can, and expect to find new roles for almost 40 per cent of those affected. We’re working hard to look after those colleagues we can’t find new roles for, financially and otherwise.

"We’ll pay enhanced redundancy, any bonuses, honour their share awards, and help them find new jobs through an outplacement programme. We recognise our responsibilities towards our colleagues and communities, and intend to fulfil them.

"But though this is by far the toughest decision we’ve had to make, it is necessary. We must follow our customers. They want help with all technology, all in one place, and this trend is only going to accelerate in a more connected 5G world.

"So customers are increasingly heading, not just to our large and growing online business, but into our big stores, where they can find all the experts and tech - mobiles, computers, TVs, smart tech, appliances, gaming and all the rest - they need. But they can’t find all this in the small mobile-only stores that are one twentieth of the size; they’re visiting these less and these stores are losing more money as a result.

"That’s why we’re committed to our more than 300 big stores around the UK, why we’re investing tens of millions of pounds in them and in the thousands of expert colleagues who work in them. But it’s also why sadly we have to close the small stores.

"We remain committed to mobile, as we’re showing by developing a new offer for customers, retaining as many Carphone Warehouse colleagues as we can, and making Mobile a core category in our big stores and online.

"As such, mobile will be part of the one, joined-up business that customers want and that’s essential for our transformation. Today’s announcement is about ensuring we’re ready for that future, and staying on track for future success.”


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More