Farron calls on Regional Development Agency to help South Lakes Woolworths staff

6.00.00pm GMT Thu 11th Dec 2008

As closing down sales begin in Woolworths 815 stores, South Lakes MP Tim Farron has called on the North West Regional Development Agency to provide help, skills and further training to any Woolworths staff who are made redundant.

Tim visited Woolworths in Kendal this afternoon to meet the staff and listen to their concerns and offer some support. His visit came as news reports suggested that this is the beginning of the end for the popular nation retailer. Administrators Deloitte have suggested that some stores could be closed for good before the end of the month.

Speaking after his visit, Mr Farron said: "Woolworths have been at the heart of market towns like Kendal for years, people have grown up on their pick and mix and the sight of a Woolworths shop on every high street. To see it go would be a horrible event and would show that the economic downturn has definitely reached the Kendal High Street and proved it's not just confined to the city and banks.

"The North West Development Agency must act quickly to ensure that all agencies come together and allow hard working people the support and advice they need to help them back into work in the case of any redundancies at our local stores."

The MP is also critical of Camelot, the operators of the National Lottery, who have removed all of their terminals from Woolworths stores. "To kick this chain when so much is being done by the administrators to try and sell it is just heartless," said Mr Farron.