Jessops to axe shops

Jessops is to close more than half its Black Country stores, with the loss of 30 jobs.

The struggling camera chain is shedding 550 posts nationally as it axes 81 shops in a bid to revive the business, which has suffered because of the internet.

Five out of eight stores in the Black Country will close under the measures. It is closing its Merry Hill Retail Park store but keeping its branch in the Merry Hill Shopping Centre.

In Wolverhampton the Mander Square store is remaining open but a second store in the Mander Centre and a third in Queen Street will close.

The stores in Stourbridge's Ryemarket and in West Bromwich High Street will close, but the branches in Kidderminster and in Walsall will remain.

The Jessops shops in Stafford, Cannock and Lichfield are safe. In Birmingham two out of three stores will close, including Jessop's Bullring shop.

The cost-cutting drive came as the firm announced pre-tax losses of £25.2 million for the six months to April 1.

The Leicester-based company has been suffering from heavy internet and supermarket competition in its key digital camera markets.

Jessops is closing stores that have been losing money or where they overlap, with more than one branch in a town.

The company said the closure of more than one in four of its store portfolio would leave it with 234 profitable outlets.

Chief executive Chris Langley said today: "Our results show the extent of the tough market conditions we have faced in the past eight months and the severe price deflation affecting our market."

The company plans to develop its website and refocus the business on the growing digital printing and photo merchandising markets.

Jessops will also improve the layout of its existing stores with increased focus on photo gift sales.

By Simon Penfold