Athlone branch of B&Q to close in May

Some 45 jobs are to go at the Athlone branch of B&Q, which is due to close in early May. 

Staff were recently told that the DIY chain’s local branch, which is located in the Arcadia Retail Park, will cease trading on May 4.

The closure became inevitable after B&Q Ireland proposed closing both its Athlone and Waterford stores when it went into examinership in late January.

Last month, during a High Court hearing, the company reiterated that its branch in Athlone was “not viable” and would have to close.

The local outlet opened in 2005 as the anchor tenant at Arcadia Retail Park.
B&Q Ireland Ltd operates nine stores across the country and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc.

A spokesperson for the company told the Westmeath Independent yesterday (Tuesday) that it could not comment while the examinership process was underway.

A statement released by the firm when it first entered examinership said: “Based on management’s forecasts and the company’s current trading performance, it is proposed that at least two stores, Athlone and Waterford, will be closed. In addition, most of the other stores will require the agreement, by individual landlords, of substantially improved terms.”

The Mandate trade union recently criticised B&Q for failing to meet with workers’ representatives in order to discuss the placing of the company in examinership.