News / Jobs at risk as Hydro Electric shop closes
LERWICK’s Commercial Street has been dealt another blow with the news that the Scottish Hydro Electric shop will close its doors as a result of the growth in online shopping.
SSE confirmed on Thursday that it will close all of its 37 Scottish stores, which sell electrical items and white goods, by 15 May.
The Lerwick store’s three members of staff may be offered the opportunity to be redeployed elsewhere in the business.
SSE will also close its associated online shop.
Stephen Forbes, director of domestic retail with the electricity giant, said in statement that the company’s shops have seen a sharp fall in sales in recent years.
“Customers’ shopping habits have changed considerably since these shops were first opened, with more and more people shopping online, especially for larger electrical items,” he said.
“We know some of these shops have been on local high streets for a long time so we did not take this decision lightly but footfall and sales have reduced considerably and there is, unfortunately, no realistic prospect of that long-term trend reversing.
“Our priority is to ensure our colleagues are fully supported during this time and we will work to redeploy staff within the SSE group where possible.”
The closure of the Shetland branch is the latest shop on Lerwick’s Commercial Street to close, with the long-standing Dennis Coutts Photographers – which was located opposite the Hydro store – shutting its doors for good in December.
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