Shropshire jobs axed as shops close under Peacocks deal

Dozens of jobs are being axed across Shropshire after ailing fashion chain Peacocks was sold by administrators to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill firm.

Stores in Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Telford and Oswestry are closing as part of the deal.

But two stores in Shrewsbury – in the town centre and at Morrisons in Whitchurch Road – will remain open.

Nationally the deal with Edinburgh Woollen Mill will save 388 shops and more than 6,000 jobs but administrators from KPMG said it had been forced to close 224 stores with immediate effect, leading to 3,100 redundancies nationwide as it looks to stabilise the business.

Peacocks collapsed under a debt mountain last month in the biggest retail failure since Woolworths.

Today a spokesman for KPMG confirmed about 15 jobs would be lost in Whitchurch, 16 in Oswestry, 13 in Telford, and seven in Market Drayton.

Roger Hughes, Shropshire Council member for Market Drayton West, said: "It's very bad news – more than a bit of a step backwards as it is the former Woolworths and it is always a tragedy when people lose their jobs."

Councillor Peggy Mullock, mayor of Whitchurch, said: "I'm really sad and shocked to hear the news."

Telford & Wrekin Council leader Kuldip Sahota said: "This is very bad news at a difficult economic time and reflects the challenging trading situation facing High Street retailers."