Fife furniture store not among those 'at risk'

Oak Furnitureland has announced it will close 27 of its stores.

The retailer is the latest chain to reveal it will close some of its stores, following in the footsteps of the likes of Boots and John Lewis.

In the move, Oak Furnitureland will close 27 of its 105 stores – putting 163 jobs at risk.

On June 15, the brand was acquired by global investment manager Davidson Kempner Capital Management following a sales process by Deloitte.

At the time of this deal, the new owners had announced their plans to launch a strategic review into Oak Furnitureland operations in order to secure its financial position.

It was said that the businesses had “stabilised” since showrooms reopened following the easing of lockdown rules - but that closures would have to be enforced as a result of the current retail environment.

The company released a list of those stores ‘at risk’ of closure and the Fife Central Retail Park branch was not among the locations listed.

In fact, of the 27 stores mentioned, only one is in Scotland – a clearance outlet in Cumbernauld.

Oak Furnitureland chief executive officer Alex Fisher said: “The current proposal to close some showrooms forms part of a company-wide review that we are undertaking as a business.

“We are committed to driving forward a plan for our future growth, and although this has been a difficult decision, it is the right one for the business in these unique challenging times.”

In reference to store closures, Fisher said: “We are confident that the decision will ensure we remain a competitive and dynamic choice for our customers.

“I would like to say thank you to all of my colleagues in every department who have been endlessly committed and patient during this process.”

The stores described as ‘at risk’ are: Basingstoke, Brent Cross, Burnley, Derry, Durham, Enfield, Guildford, Huddersfield, Leeds Crown Point, Macclesfield, Merry Hill, New Malden, Portsmouth, Romford, Rotherham, Rugby, Slough, Southend on Sea, Stafford, Sutton in Ashfield, Wallasey, Weston Super Mare, Wrexham, Chippenham (clearance store), Cardiff (clearance store), Cumbernauld (clearance store) and Bath (clearance store).

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