Morrisons offers jobs lifeline to 1,658 My Local workers

'‹Morrisons has '‹promised to step in and offer over 1,600 former workers a job if '‹their new employer, My Local, goes into administration and closes stores.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Jun 2016, 15:05 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 18:23 BST
Staff at the opening of My Local (then Morrisons Local) in Harrogate, two years agoStaff at the opening of My Local (then Morrisons Local) in Harrogate, two years ago
Staff at the opening of My Local (then Morrisons Local) in Harrogate, two years ago

​The promise will safeguard around 160 Yorkshire jobs if ​the 14 My Local stores in Yorkshire are closed down.

​Morrisons said it would safeguard the 1,658 ​workers who switched to My Local when it sold off the 140 strong M Local estate last year.

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On Tuesday, My Local owner Greybull Capital announced its intention to put the firm into administration, lining up KPMG to act as administrator to its chain of stores.

In a statement, Morrisons said: “We are saddened and disappointed to learn that My Local is about to enter administration.​ ​We want to help our former colleagues who now work for My Local.

“We can therefore confirm that if no buyer is found, and stores close, we will welcome our former colleagues back to a job at Morrisons.”

KPMG will attempt to sell the business as a going concern but, if a buyer cannot be found, then the stores will be sold off piecemeal or closed down.

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It is understood that Co-Op’s convenience store arm has picked up five stores with Sainsbury’s also acquiring one.

Greybull’s acquisition of My Local was fronted by retail entrepreneur Mike Greene, who appeared on Channel 4 show The Secret Millionaire.

​​In addition to the 1,658 former ​Morrisons staff, the Bradford-based grocer said it would also talk to My Local staff about opportunities to join Morrisons even if they weren’t formerly employed by the supermarket chain.​ ​The offer is contingent on people actually losing their jobs.

​​The collapse caps a torrid few months for the retail sector following on from the failures of BHS and Austin Reed.​

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Sir Philip Green ​said he will offer 1,000 BHS staff jobs at his Arcadia retail empire, a week after being grilled by MPs over the department store chain’s collapse.

The workers are currently employed at Arcadia concessions, such as Dorothy Perkins and Wallis, within BHS outlets.

It is understood that the Topshop billionaire has also instructed his lieutenants to assist some of the 10,000 remaining BHS workers find new jobs.

Sir Philip has come in for criticism for taking around £400​m in dividends out of BHS during his 15-year ownership.

Related topics:MorrisonsKPMGYorkshireBHS