Beatties staff given support to find new jobs by city taskforce
A taskforce will be set up to support staff at Beatties find new jobs after plans emerged to close the department store.
Contingency plans were being drawn up by Wolverhampton council officials today to provide support.
Beatties is among 31 stores identified by owners House of Fraser to be closed to rescue the struggling business.
Wolverhampton's 141-year-old Beatties store, owned by House of Fraser, employs 279 staff.
Council leaders say store officials will work Department for Work and Pensions and Job Centre Plus to help staff find work.
Similar plans were drawn up when the city's BHS closed its doors for business.
WATCH: Express & Star analysis on Beatties announcement
Wolverhampton council leader, Councillor Roger Lawrence, said: “It is obviously a very serious blow.
"I have been concerned in recent years about the lack of investment made in the store and I think it has really lost its position in the market place as a result.
“Clearly it is going to have a very serious impact on the retail offer in Wolverhampton.
“At my request I called a meeting of senior officers this morning to draw up contingency plans and begin working with partners to support all those affected by this decision.
“We have worked previously with BHS, and on other closures, to help people secure jobs in new stores that have opened in the city.
"This is a challenge cities and towns up and down the country are facing in a retail world that is changing quite dramatically due to the booming online market and the tendency to focus on out-of-town shopping areas.”
The council said officers have been liaising regularly with managers at the Beatties store to offer support.
