STAFF at Bathurst’s two Woolworths supermarkets will keep their jobs despite a massive company restructure that will slash 500 jobs and close 27 underperforming stores across Australia and New Zealand.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The company has also restructured its Big W and EziBuy chains, and identified five Big W stores that will close within the next three years.
Woolworths has two stores in Bathurst, one in the Bathurst City Centre and the second in Stockland.
The Woolworths and Big W stores, both located in Stockland Bathurst, underwent extensive million-dollar refurbishments in 2015.
A Woolworths Limited spokesperson addressed the future of Woolworths and Big W in Bathurst in a written statement to the Western Advocate.
“None of your local supermarkets are affected by this announcement,” the statement read.
“[This] needs to be kept in the context of Woolworths closing down 17 underperforming supermarkets across a total store network of almost 1000 stores. We will be opening 45 [Woolworths] stores in the next three years.”
The spokesperson said, however he was unable to comment on Bathurst’s Big W store, but said that was “not a reflection on the long-term viability of your local store”.
“It just reflects the fact that because of the smaller Big W store network our negotiations with landlords are extremely sensitive,” he said.
“We have identified five BIG W stores that are likely to close in the next three years based on current trading performance at or before their lease expiry.”
Bathurst Business Chamber president Stacey Whittaker said it was very good news for Bathurst that the two Woolworths stores were to remain open.
“You don’t like to see any business close down, especially big employers like this in Bathurst and we certainly hope Big W stays open,” she said.
The move will cost almost $1 billion and it follows a $3.2 billion write-down by the retailer in February when it announced plans to sell its Masters and Home Timber and Hardware businesses.
In addition to the confirmed store closures, many other Woolworths and Big W across Australian and New Zealand are under review.
The company’s announcement on Monday confirmed 34 Woolworths stores had been identified as underperforming, as have 18 Big W stores.
