THERE are firmer reports Orange's Big W store may be among 30 outlets at risk of closing nationwide as the retail giant tightens its belt in the wake of ongoing financial difficulties.
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The poor performing chain's parent company Woolworths Group made the announcement on Monday, and said two distribution centres will also close, following an extensive review of the businesses operations.
In that announcement the company refused to identify which outlets were in the firing line, but a list of potential at-risk stores has since been disclosed, with Orange among the predominantly regional-based locations.
The sites included Bendigo, Echuca and Shepparton in Victoria; the NSW towns of Orange, Dubbo, Tamworth, Mudgee and Liverpool; Gladstone, North Rockhampton and Yeppoon in Queensland; Port Augusta in South Australia and Bunbury in Western Australia.
The majority of our store network is set to remain open and we're committed to doing the right thing for our team in impacted stores.
- Woolworths spokesperson
On Monday the management of Orange City Centre said they had received no indication the city's Big W store would be closing.
"Big W Orange is a profitable store and has a long lease on foot at the Orange City Centre," the centre's manager, Nicole Chapman, said.
"The centre has not received any formal notice in regards to a potential closure and we are confident Big W will have a long future in our centre."
A Woolworths spokesperson said details of store closure locations were not being released due to ongoing discussions with landlords.
"In the interim all Big W stores will continue to trade as normal," the spokesperson said.
"The majority of our store network is set to remain open and we're committed to doing the right thing for our team in impacted stores.
"We will inform our team members, customers and community stakeholders well in advance of changes to any specific store."
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