Homebase Craigleith escapes closure

Homebase have revealed the 42 stores that are closing across the UK, but their Craigleith store is to remain open.

A number of Homebase stores are to close.

The company is to launch a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) and is seeking approval from creditors on a proposed plan to reduce its cost base in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The latest restructuring would come on top of a store closure programme the retailer has been carrying out since February. A total of 16 Homebase stores have been shut this year and the business has also axed 303 jobs at its head office in Milton Keynes.

Despite the closures, the store in Craigleith is set to remain.

The Homebase store closures follow the sale of the business earlier this year by its former Australian owner Wesfarmers to Hilco, a retail turnaround specialist, for £1.

Damian McGloughlin, CEO of Homebase, said: “Launching a CVA has been a difficult decision and one that we have not taken lightly. Homebase has been one of the most recognisable retail brands for almost 40 years, but the reality is we need to continue to take decisive action to address the underperformance of the business and deal with the burden of our cost base, as well as to protect thousands of jobs. The CVA is therefore an essential measure for the business to take and will enable us to refocus our operations and rebuild our offer for the years ahead.”

Stephanie Pollitt, Assistant Director of Real Estate Policy, British Property Federation (BPF), said: “These situations are never easy as property owners need to take into consideration the impact on their investors, including those protecting their investors’ pensioners’ savings, as they vote on the CVA proposal. Homebase and Alvarez & Marsal have, however, demonstrated best practice, engaging with the BPF in the process and therefore ensuring property owners’ interests have been properly taken into account. Ultimately, it will be for individual property owners to decide how they will vote on the CVA, but the proposal has sought to find a solution that provides a sustainable future for Homebase.”