Superquinn staff discuss closure of Naas store

SHOCKED AND angry at the unexpected announcement, about 110 staff at Superquinn in Naas, Co Kildare, met yesterday to discuss the closure of the store.

The company said it hoped to be able to redeploy staff, but this could mean long-distance travel for most workers.

Equally surprised and saddened were customers at the successful retail outlet in the town centre, which was operating as normal yesterday.

Unions met staff to discuss options after they were told on Wednesday that the store would close on February 4th after 29 years.

Superquinn said the closure was because the landlord had demanded possession of the premises. Landlord Primark, which trades as Penneys, went to the High Court on Wednesday to demand Superquinn vacate the store after the lease expired.

“Shock and disappointment has turned to real and tangible anger as certain things are revealed,” said Gerry Light, assistant general secretary of main trade union Mandate. The court case showed negotiations had been problematic and ongoing, he said. “But the company left it to the last moment [to tell staff] and could not have left it any later.” Discussions between management and unions about redundancy and redeployment are to begin on Tuesday. Expectations are “fairly substantial”, said Mr Light. Up to 30 of the staff have more than 20 years of service at the supermarket.

Niall Dunleavy, a father of four, has worked in the butcher’s section for almost 30 years and is a shop steward. Staff were briefed in the autumn and were told of hopes to move to one of three temporary sites until the school site was developed, he said. Superquinn paid some €25 million for a site at St Patrick’s Community College, Naas in 2008 but the planned development of a new supermarket has not materialised. “The first we were told that there was no alternative location was yesterday.” There was a “profound sense of shock”, mainly because “this is a profitable shop with a loyal customer base”, he said.

Superquinn said it had intended to open a store on an alternative site before the lease expired. “As a result of problems in the property market, that development is on hold for the time being. The company also reviewed some other options but unfortunately no suitable alternative was found,” the company said.

Staff said despite the opening of a new Tesco supermarket in Naas last November business appeared to have been steady.

Baker Valerie Dunne is disappointed the management did not tell the staff sooner. “They knew what was coming,” she said, “they were telling us our jobs were secured . . . and this was happening.”

Niall Maher, who has worked in the fruit and vegetable section for 14 years, said workers were devastated. Redeployment is an option but other Superquinn stores might be too far away for some staff, Mr Maher said. The nearest supermarkets are in Lucan, Carlow and Dublin. The company hopes to redeploy staff but a spokeswoman said this depended on the individual staff and availability of jobs.

Deli worker Graham Pachall (26) has worked at the supermarket since he was 17 but may consider emigration. “I’m just going to have to go back to college or go to Australia or America. The way I see it, there isn’t anything here for people my age,” he said.

Butcher Robert Sheridan (54) has worked in the supermarket for 29 years. He was “very sad to see it close”. Customer Rose Ryan, who said she had been shopping at the supermarket for almost 30 years, was also sad to see it close.