Is Kings Heath about to be credit crunched?
| Published: 6th October 2008 18:24 |
Staff at two High Street stores face a bleak Christmas as they lose their jobs in the run-up to the Festive season.
The news will also place added pressure on other businesses in Kings Heath High Street as they admit the growing number of boarded-up frontages is unlikely to help the image of the shopping centre during the crucial Christmas shopping season.
McDonalds on Kings Heath High Street is being forced to close on 1 November according to staff at the restaurant. They knew the branch was facing the axe by McDonalds management, but didn't know if it would happen before or after Christmas.
Tonight McDonalds issued a statement via AboutMyArea saying "we would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal customers for their business over the years."
"As part of an ongoing review of our restaurant sites, it became clear that the location of McDonald's on the High Street was no longer suitable. Since the restaurant opened the trading patterns of the local area have changed and as a result we, along with the franchisee, have taken the difficult decision to cease trading at this site."
The fast food giant - slogan "I'm lovin' it" - seems to have fallen out of love with Kings Heath.
Just up the road staff at Rosebys home furnishings store were stunned by an email from head office saying their employers had gone into administration. The Indian-owned group has blamed appalling High Street trading conditions for the collapse of the 280-store business.
Kings Heath store manager Kerry Anderson said there was still some hope if Rosebys could be sold as a going concern. Nevertheless the Birmingham branch today has large ‘closing down' notices on its High Street windows. Five staff could be without a job by Christmas.
The recession fears even seem to have hit the market in local people selling stuff on eBay. The Silver Street ‘flog-it-on' store is now boarded up and the company's website has disappeared off the internet.
STAYING OPEN - Woolworths Kings Heath
But there is good news for the wonder of Woolworth's in Kings Heath.
Despite rumours in the local business community that the retailer would soon be closing, branch manager Matt Butler says "there is absolutely no truth in the rumours."
"We are certainly not closing down. Far from it," he told AboutMyArea.
What do you think?
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But good that Wollies are still OK ! Rosebys to go...that is sad though,
but not surprised for it does not attract many people. Is that simply the general financial problems or the lack of fresh ideas.....? We need, i suggest, copy Moseley and try to increase the `village` feeling of Kings Heath, as suggested already in the exciting Church plans for the village `green` and in doing so find out how to make some of the side streets local shops more known and accessible. As already said elsewhere, no red route here, traffic is still needed, but not a route for rapid through traffic, slower traffic means safer too !
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