HMV close Argyll Street and East Kilbride stores

Published on 20/02/2013 14:17

ADMINISTRATORS of fallen music giant HMV are to close its Glasgow city centre and East Kilbride branches.

Deloitte announced today that the Argyle Street store, which employs 39 staff, and the East Kilbride branch, which employs 17 workers, will be closed.

A total of 464 jobs across the UK face the axe following today’s announcement of the closure of 37 stores nationally.

Deloitte said the stores would close over the next four to six weeks and would probably lead to all affected staff being made redundant, although it would try to relocate employees to other stores where possible.

The finance confirmed earlier this month that 11 other Scottish stores would be shut down, with the sites affecting 178 employees.

The closure of the Argyle Street and East Kilbride sites come after Edinburgh’s Fort, Gyle Centre, Ocean Terminal, Princes Street and St James Shopping Centre shops were all earmarked for closure. HMVs at Glasgow’s Fort Shopping Centre, Silverburn and Braehead will all close, while branches of the retailer in Dumfries, Falkirk and Kirkcaldy will also be shut down, administrators had previously announced.

It leaves eight HMV shops left across Scotland and 116 across the UK in total.

The store closures come after 60 staff were let go by Deloitte across HMV’s head office network at Eastcastle Street in London, Marlow and Solihull nearly two weeks ago - including former HMV boss Trevor Moore.

Around 190 jobs had previously been cut by Deloitte in the chain’s head offices and distribution centres.

Nick Edwards, joint administrator at Deloitte, said the decision to shut the stores was made to “enhance the prospects of the restructured business continuing as a going concern”.

He added: “We are extremely grateful to the staff for their continued strong support and commitment during an understandably difficult period.

“All other key stakeholders including suppliers and landlords remain supportive and we appreciate their ongoing assistance.”

HMV collapsed into administration last month, but Deloitte said last week that sale discussions were “progressing” as it also announced it had secured stock from most of its suppliers that will see it continue to sell the latest blockbusters and music releases.

It said trading agreements had been put in place so stock could be replenished and it will be able to sell new hits, including the latest James Bond film Skyfall.

FULL LIST OF STORES FACING CLOSURE: Ashford, Basildon, Bolton, Cheltenham, East Kilbride, Enfield, Folkestone, Glasgow Argyle, Gloucester, Grimsby, Hatfield Galleria, Heathrow T5 Departure Level, Heathrow Terminal 1, Heathrow Terminal 3, Heathrow Terminal 4, Hemel Hempstead, High Wycombe, Isle of Wight, Lancaster, Leadenhall, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Newbury, Newcastle Silverlink, Newport, Nuneaton, Redditch, Salisbury, Scarborough, Southport, Stafford, Staines, Stockport, Swindon, Taunton, Torquay, Woking.