End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

It looks like the food Co-ops will survive, but the fashion and home departments of the Midlands Co-ops. are closing with the inevitable loss of jobs.
Do you think they were too old fashioned and didn't keep up with the times? Will you miss the dear old Co-op?

"County jobs at risk after Midlands Co-Operative announces store closures

Published on Tuesday 22 January 2013 08:45

Nearly 400 jobs are at risk after Midlands Co-Operative announced it is to close its fashion and home department stores in the region due to competition from online shopping.


A total of 388 staff are employed at Midlands Co-Operative Home and Fashion stores in Raunds, Stafford, Chesterfield, Coalville, Derby, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, West Bridgford and Wigston.

The nine stores will close over the next six months but it is hoped most of the staff will be redeployed.

Martyn Cheatle, chief executive of Midlands Co-Operative, which is run independently from The Co-operative Group, said the fashion and home arm had incurred substantial losses over the last 10 years due to the growth of online shopping.

He said none of the society’s other areas of activity, which include food stores and crematoria, would be affected.

Mr Cheatle said customer orders and gift vouchers would be honoured over the next six months at the society’s home and fashion stores.

He said: “Major changes in the retailing sector and the ever increasing growth in online shopping over recent years have created significant and fundamental challenges for the society’s Fashion and Home business.

“Whilst our other businesses have flourished, the society has been incurring substantial losses from the Fashion and Home operation for more than a decade and in spite of sustained efforts to improve performance, the latest financial projections indicate a further decline with increasing losses in future years.

“A plan has been put in place for a phased closure of nine Fashion and Home stores over the next six months. This could potentially affect some 388 store-based employees, although every effort will be made to redeploy employees into other business areas and it is anticipated that the society’s ambitious new food store development programme will help facilitate this.

“The society is also exploring viable change of use options for the Fashion and Home sites, including Raunds.

“Unfortunately, efforts to sell the business as a going concern have proved unsuccessful and after much consideration it is with great regret that the Board of Directors has taken this very difficult decision to close the Fashion and Home business.

“Please be assured this decision was not taken lightly and was necessary to protect the long-term future and growth of the society as a whole.”

He added the society is in full consultation with all affected staff and trade unions.

Midlands Co-operative Society is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK, employing over 7,500 staff, with a turnover of £651m and profit of £26m in 2011/12.

The society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, crematoria, fashion and home, and transport.

Midlands Co-operative has more than 300 trading outlets across 12 counties including in the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire."

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

Rena darlin' - 'our' Co-op store here in Brighton closed several years ago, leaving the food supermarket. Then, two years ago, having bought out Somerfield stores, the Co-op relocated its food store into the previous Somerfield store and then closed its own previous food hall as well.

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

To be truthful I didn't realise there were any left... Our local Co-op department store was sold several years ago to a private company, who are still in business but are finding it a struggle to make a profit and I've a feeling they'll be the next high street casualty in our town..

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

The Co-op shop in Johnstone closed many years ago, same in Paisley. However, they purpose built a large food store in Pasley, now it is closed. They took over the Safeway supermaret in Johnstone and kept it as a food store. The same at Linwood. In Paisley the store is opened again for fashion, electrical and household goods.

Sad really! All the Wholesale warehouses in Glasgow, in lovely old buildings, are now flats!

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

I rarely shopped in a Co-op store, so their complete demise wouldn't bother me.

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

I vaguely remember a Co-op department here but I think it closed down maybe 30 years ago. There may still be the odd Co-op Food store in some parts of the city.

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

I vaguely remember Co-op department stores too..hubby remembers them more than I do. I use their supermarkets. I miss Woolworths though, where else sells haberdashery?

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

Perhaps its a regional thing then. - I hadn't realised that most Co-ops had already gone - we are maybe a bit behind in our region. The nearest non-food Co-op to us is in Chesterfield, a few miles away and it is quite a large shop, selling clothing, furniture, electrical goods etc. I must admit I rarely go there, but it is quite a large department type store and I think it will be missed, although there is a Debenhams now which will help fill the gap.

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

The Co-operative movement is a world wide phenomena with its roots going back to the 16th Century. The UK Co-operative movement was founded in the late 18th century and has been an important player in it's role of banding folks together (Co-operating) to increase their buying power.
I still have my grandmother's DIVIDEND no. 11187, a sharing of profits predating the John Lewis Partnership organisation.

The demise of any business is a loss to the community, howsoever patronised or not.

Re: End of an Era - Midlands Co-ops to close

Wrong Robert matey, the Co-operative movement in the UK was spawned by the 'Rochdale Pioneers'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochdale_Pioneers