THE John Lewis store in Aberdeen was selected for closure because of the high cost of transporting stock to the north of Scotland, The National understands.
The department store chain said last month that it was shutting eight shops across the UK. This is in addition to the eight closures announced last summer.
The 16 closures put 1400 jobs at risk across the UK. The chain recorded its first-ever annual loss last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The SNP’s Kevin Stewart, who is running for re-election as MSP for Aberdeen Central, said the closure in the Scottish city was a “bitter blow” and that retaining the store should be an “absolute priority for all stakeholders”.
However, the firm seems to have shut the door on further negotiations, saying the closures were the last resort after all other avenues had been exhausted.
The National has been told that during a Zoom call with upper management, staff were told the decision to close the Aberdeen store was made due to the high cost of sending stock to the north east.
The National understands the comment was made by Andrew Murphy, the company’s executive director of operations.
The closure reportedly took staff by surprise and has left many fearful for the future. John Lewis now faces the “mammoth task” of emptying the location of stock, which The National was told may take as long as a year.
The National understands the store was performing well, and that staff had suggested several ideas to the firm’s headquarters to increase profits through a very busy period when it first re-opened after lockdown.
John Lewis chair Sharon White has reportedly not had the opportunity to visit since it re-opened in August due to the Covid restrictions, but it is believed she may visit the store soon.
There are further concerns that, with John Lewis’s high street presence disappearing, shipping costs will be passed on to online customers.
However, the company was commended in a 2012 report from Citizens Advice Scotland for not charging people living in Scotland’s Highlands and Islands a “postcode penalty”.
A John Lewis spokesperson assured The National that there were no plans to change its delivery policy, which is currently free on all orders over £50.
The SNP’s Stewart said: “Retaining a John Lewis presence in the city must be the absolute priority for all stakeholders and I hope that includes the company itself.
“John Lewis holds a special place in the hearts of many Aberdonians and its departure would be a bitter blow for the store’s loyal staff and customers.
“People across Aberdeen have to work together to persuade John Lewis to maintain a presence in our city, which without doubt would be the right thing for them to do.”
A task force of councillors, campaigners and members of the Grampian Chamber of Commerce have previously met with John Lewis bosses and representatives of the Scottish Government to discuss retaining the Aberdeen store.
The John Lewis spokesperson said: “Closing shops is always a last resort and is not done without exploring all alternatives first. All eight shops planned for closure were financially challenged prior to the pandemic.
“Given the significant shift to online shopping in recent years – and our belief that this trend will not materially reverse – we do not think the performance of these eight stores can be substantially improved.”
The spokesperson later told The National that the cost of sending stock north was a "small reason among many for the closure".
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