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Future of Dobbies Inverness to be decided next month

A court hearing will be held to approve the restructuring plans.

Facade of Dobbies and Tesco Extra in Inverness.
Dobbies in Inverness is set to close by the end of the year. Image: Google Street View.

The future of Dobbies Inverness will be decided next month as dozens of jobs hang in the balance.

The Inshes Retail Park store has been earmarked for closure as part of the firm’s restructuring plan.

A court hearing to approve the restructuring plan will be held on December 9.

If approved, the Inverness store would be one of 17 to get the axe. 

A total of 33 people are at risk of losing their jobs if the shutters come down for good.

No date has been set if the store should indeed close.

However, officials have stressed operations would cease by the end of the year.

View of Dobbies Inverness entrance from inside Tesco Extra store.
Dobbies Garden Centre in Inverness is one of 17 earmarked for closure. Image: Michelle Henderson/ DC Thomson.

Dobbies bosses to attend hearing to finalise restructuring plans

The retailer has been feeling the pinch after being hit by  “uneconomical rent costs.”

Bosses created an action plan with hopes of returning the “business to profitability.”

In their initial statement, a Dobbies spokesperson said: “We are implementing a Restructuring Plan to address historically uneconomical rent costs and to create a strong platform to return our business to profitability, access future investment, and to ensure a sustainable, long-term future for Dobbies.

“We are sorry to confirm that this includes the closure of our Inverness store. Subject to the Restructuring Plan being approved, we expect this store to cease trading by the end of the year. Until that time, the store will remain open as usual.”

In just four weeks, bosses will attend a hearing to formalise the restructuring plan creditors have been voting on, leaving hundreds of people across the UK searching for work.

Affected staff in Inverness have been thrown a lifeline thanks to bosses at neighbouring Tesco Extra. 

Staff have vowed to provide roles to Dobbies workers, with a combination of full-time and part-time work up for grabs.

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