Nothumberland store saved by buy-out

A Northumberland department store marked for closure following the collapse of retail chain, Vergo, has been offered a reprieve after it was bought by the JE Beale retail group.

The 76 staff of Robbs department store in Hexham will be saved as part of the deal, which is the second buyout the store has seen in three years. It has also survived plans for demolition after a town centre regeneration plan was shelved.

JE Beale's chief executive, Tony Brown, said he was signing a 15-year lease on the 182-year-old store's premises and was looking to raise the workforce back up to around 100.

"The way this store has been managed over the last three years has been almost sinful, with a lack of investment and under-stocking two of the main reasons for its lack of success," he said.

"We have a good track record of running market town department stores and are determined to provide Robbs with a profitable future."

The store was ought by Vergo in May 2007, after its previous owners, Owen Owen went into administration. The effects of the recession, however, saw Vergo itself call in administrators last month to help sell its portfolio of stores.

Last week the company was set a two to four week deadline to sell its remaining 16 operating stores.

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