"Leave no one behind". Town Centre Bosses Pull Together to Combat British Homes Stores’ Job Losses
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Bexleyheath Town Centre Pulls Together to Combat British Homes Stores’ Job Losses
Entities such as Bexleyheath Business Improvement District and local business bosses pledge to “leave no one behind” in the face of Town Centre BHS location facing closure; job fair organised for Tuesday 28th June at Bexleyheath Library.
Bexleyheath, England, United Kingdom – June 24, 2016 – A special job fair is being organised by Bexleyheath Town Centre and Bexleyheath Business Improvement District (BID) for Tuesday June 28 at the Bexleyheath Library, specifically to combat job losses being reported at British Homes Stores, a well-recognised 88-year-old London retailer.
Local business bosses representing the Bexleyheath Town Centre BHS location, Town Centre and Bexleyheath Business Improvement District have pledged to “leave no one behind” in the face of this store’s impending closure in the next few weeks, with major brands like Wilko, Mothercare, Eden Beauty, Marriott Hotel, McDonald’s, The Fragrance Shop and The Entertainer scheduled to participate in the job fair.
“This is a time of great uncertainty for employees at BHS, and – through no fault of their own – many face redundancy,” says Town Centre Manager Tony Garratt. “As a business community within Bexleyheath, we want to stand together and reduce job losses as best we can, leaving no one behind in the process. We have already seen a formidable amount of supportive businesses sign-up to be involved in the job fair, but there is definitely still room for more. The BHS staff boast a wealth of experience, and it was only six months ago that one team member made national headlines for his outstanding customer service skills.”
BHS employee Sam Warren had touched the hearts of the nation when a photograph of him holding a partially-sighted customer's hand to help guide her round the Bexleyheath store went viral after being shared online last year.
British Homes Stores first opened its doors for business in Brixton, South London in 1928, originally founded by a group of American entrepreneurs who, by 1929, grew the operations to encompass home furnishings including draperies. By 1970, the company expanded steadily in the post-war era, and by the beginning of the year it employed some 12,000 workers in 94 stores across the UK.
In 2015, billionaire Sir Phillip Green, who bought BHS in 2000 for £200m, sold the brand to Retail Acquisitions, and by 2016 BHS filed for administration under the weight of debts totalling more than £1.3bn. Failure to find a buyer meant the company would be wound down, with the loss of up to 11,000 jobs.
The Bexleyheath job fair is scheduled to take place on Tuesday June 28 from 11 am to 3 pm at the Bexleyheath Library and attendees will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with prospective employers while being able to take advantage of CV creation assistance services.
Bexleyheath BID is located at 55 Broadway in Bexleyheath and can be reached by calling 0208 304 0775. For more information visit www.BexleyheathBID.co.uk.
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