Leekes to quit flagship store in Coventry
Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 2:08 am
Leekes shocks staff with Coventry superstore closure but will complete customer orders
Home department chain Leekes is to quit its flagship store in Coventry after agreeing a deal to sell the vast site just off the A444.
The family-owned business has broken the news to “shocked” staff that the superstore will shut its doors for the last time in mid-January and promised to fulfil customers’ existing orders.
It did not specify if any jobs were at risk but praised staff for their “extremely professional” response to the news. There were 110 people employed at the superstore, close to J3 of the M6, in 2013.
Leekes’ other stores, including in Bilston in the West Midlands, will continue to trade as normal.
Leekes blamed the closure on a lack of companies wanting concession space at what is currently its largest retail site, which has hosted a number of celebrity chefs. Leekes’ website says the store has more than “185,000 square feet and 300,000 products across 50 departments”.
The giant store was created when Leekes relocated from its Bedworth base to the former Makro distribution centre on the Gallagher Business Park. It had enjoyed double digit sales growth in recent years.
Managing director Emma Leeke said: “A challenging retail environment has resulted in the loss of a number of concession partners and in the absence of suitable replacements we began to consider options to sub-divide the building to enable us to look to share our site with a wider range of possible occupiers who could not be accommodated within our own in-store offer.
“We are in the process of contacting our current customers to confirm that the orders they have placed will be delivered as planned and guaranteed as normal with our head office able to answer any queries after the store closes in January.”