By HELEN COMPSON

Published at 09:45, Friday, 12 March 2010

VERGO Retail, the company that owns the Robbs department store in Hexham, is set to lose it flagship store in Liverpool.

Three hundred jobs will be lost when Lewis’s closes this summer in preparation for a £160 million redevelopment programme – a number of new hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities will spring up in its place.

However, Vergo owner David Thompson said this week the closure of the Lewis’s business would not affect Robbs or any of the other 18 stores in his chain.

The company had the option of going back into the new development when it was completed in two or three years’ time, but it would wait to see what else was included in the way of retail offer.

Since the Liverpool ONE arcade had opened on the other side of the city, he said, the centre of gravity had changed for shoppers.

“We may decide it’s not appropriate to come back here.

“We have to close the store in the meantime, but in terms of impact, there are another 19 stores and a business turning over £50 million a year.

“Since Liverpool ONE opened, the Lewis’s store has become a drain – its closure has got to have a positive financial effect.

“Of all our stores, Robbs is doing particularly well.”

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk