Staples branch in Chatham set to close its doors in January - but what will happen in the future?2/12/2016
As reported by national news agencies, the UK arm of the Staples brand will disappear, following the sale of the business by the US owners to Hilco. The stationary giant have announced that the 106 branches across the nation are set to close down in a move due to a limited licence agreement for the use of the brand name in the UK. One of the affected locations is the Chatham store, which is located in Medway Street next to the River Medway. Picture Credit: Google Street View Following a visit to the store, we discovered that the store's last day of business is set for January 14, 2017. Banners writing 'STORE CLOSING' and flyers stating information regarding the closure are present at the branch. One of the members of staff explained to a customer that the store is officially closing on that date, however noted that the lease of the building isn't due to expire for another significant amount of years. He also told the customer that there are rumours in the town that the building could be earmarked to be transformed into a 'nightclub' - although he explained that this idea may be unlikely. Although no formal information has been released from Hilco for specific time frames of the store closures, we contacted Staples directly for an answer.
Husan Mahmood, a spokesman from the Staples Customer Service Team, told us: "In relation to your enquiry about the Chatham store I can only say that any changes will take affect in 3 months time and not right now. Rest assured when changes do occur we will notify all staff and management and what will happen next also." Our main concern is the number of job posts that will be made redundant, affecting the individuals and families. It is paramount that all the necessary support and advice is provided to employees to ensure a smooth transition to a different job elsewhere. Another concern is the major loss of another big retailer in the town centre, following the closure of the Tesco Superstore in The Brook last April. It is essential that the building isn't abandoned considering the size of the store, and could be potentially included as part of regeneration plans for the adjoining Medway Street car park site. Perhaps Medway Council will snap up the site or encourage discussions to include the site as part of the existing Waterfront development plans? Sunny Ee, the Chatham Regeneration Manager working at Medway Council, said to us: "We’re aware of the news regarding the Staples take over but have no firm confirmation of whether the store will close. At this stage we’re keeping a watching brief to see what emerges in the new year so I’m afraid I can’t speculate as to whether the site could be developed, particularly as it isn’t owned by the Council." What do you think the existing building should be used for? Share your ideas in the comments area of this news article to let us know. |
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