SUPERQUINN CONFIRMED yesterday that it intends to close its store in Naas, Co Kildare next month after the landlord demanded possession.
The landlord, Primark, which trades as Penneys, went to the High Court yesterday to demand that Superquinn vacate the store after the lease expired. The Irish-owned retailer will meet union representatives today to discuss the possible redeployment of some of the 100 staff to other stores after the closure on February 4th.
In 2007, the retailer offloaded six of its properties, including that at Naas, in a sale-and-leaseback deal that netted its owners €142.5 million from Friends First F&C. The stores were then rented back to Superquinn on long leases.
In 2008 it paid around €25 million for the 5.5-acre grounds of St Patrick’s Community College in the town, where it planned to develop a new store and shopping centre. This development has not materialised.
Friends First later sold its investment in Naas to Primark. Last year, Primark got planning permission to build a new three-storey outlet on the site, but this has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
The loss of 100 retail jobs in the town comes only two months after Taoiseach Brian Cowen opened a new Tesco store in Naas, with the creation of 266 jobs.
Mandate, which represents most of the staff in Superquinn’s Naas store, said its staff were shocked to hear the shop was closing due to the expiry of a lease.
In the High Court, Primark yesterday sought to bring proceedings against Superquinn for their alleged failure to vacate the premises last month. Primark claim this alleged failure has “hindered plans” to redevelop the site.
Mr Justice John Edwards granted Primark short service, on an ex parte basis, to bring motions seeking to have Superquinn vacate the premises forthwith. He made the matter returnable to Friday.
