The future of a large department store in the centre of Carmarthen has been thrown into doubt after it was revealed that the company behind it is on the brink of collapse.
Days opened in Guildhall Square in Carmarthen in the summer of 2017.
The two-floor store, which extends to 16,900 sq ft and includes a restaurant, is owned by The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group and is home to Peacocks and other chains like Jaeger and Austin Reed.
Closing down signs have been put up outside the store, which is remaining tight-lipped on any potential closure date or any detail about how many jobs could be affected.
The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group has thus far been unavailable to comment on the site’s future. However, last week it was reported that the company was in a perilous state.
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According to documents filed with the High Court, the group has lodged a notice of intention to appoint administrators, with as many as 24,000 jobs in the balance across the UK.
The company has admitted that lockdowns implemented both nationally and locally since the outbreak of coronavirus earlier this year have made things “extremely difficult” for it, and added that it had also been hit hard by allegations, which it denied, that it and several rivals failed to pay Bangladeshi suppliers in an attempt to cut costs.
All stores will continue trading for the time being, but several are expected to close across the country, with ‘closing down sale’ signs being put up at different locations, including now in Carmarthen.
The Edinburgh Woollen Mill group is owned by businessman Philip Day, who gave his name to the department store in Carmarthen when it opened more than three years ago at the former BHS and Littlewoods site.
The company’s chief executive, Steve Simpson, said last week: “Like every retailer, we have found the past seven months extremely difficult.
“This situation has grown worse in recent weeks as we have had to deal with a series of false rumours about our payments and trading which have impacted our credit insurance.
“Traditionally, Edinburgh Woollen Mill has always traded with strong cash reserves and a conservative balance sheet, but these stories, the reduction in credit insurance, against the backdrop of the lockdown and now this second wave of Covid-19, and all the local lockdowns, have made normal trading impossible.
“As directors we have a duty to the business, our staff, our customers and our creditors to find the very best solution in this brutal environment.
“So we have applied to court for a short breathing space to assess our options before moving to appoint administrators.
“Through this process I hope and believe we will be able to secure the best future for our businesses, but there will inevitably be significant cuts and closures as we work our way through this.
“I would like to thank all our staff for their amazing efforts during this time and also our customers who have remained so loyal and committed to our brands.”
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No cease of trading date has been confirmed at Days in Carmarthen, but its closure would be yet another blow to the retail market in Carmarthen town centre.
In the last year, a number of businesses have announced closures in the town, including Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge, Monsoon and Accessorize, River Island, Fat Face, Burger King and Game.
