New World stores at Redcliffs and St Martins unable to reopen due to irreparable damage

Two Christchurch supermarkets unable to reopen due to irreparable damage Foodstuffs South Island is deeply saddened to advise, that due to the severity of the damage from the second earthquake on 22 February, our New World stores at Redcliffs and St Martins will not be re-opening.

Foodstuffs South Island CEO Steve Anderson says that this is an incredibly distressing time for the stores’ owners and their staff as well as the local communities they serve. New World St Martins employs 167 full and part time staff and New World Redcliffs has 69 full and part time staff who will be affected.

“We would like to thank the insurers for their flexible approach to providing as much financial security and support as possible for our staff. Each staff member will receive a redundancy payment equivalent to two months of their earnings. Additionally, to help ease some of the stress, the Foodstuffs (South Island) Community Trust will be providing each full time employee with a $500 shopping voucher. Part time employees are receiving a $250 voucher.

“We hope this will go some way to help staff provide for their families during these challenging times,” he says.

Foodstuffs will also be offering each employee access to a specialist advisor. Where possible Foodstuffs South Island will find positions for these people in other Foodstuffs’ businesses. If no position is available, the specialist advisor will work with the staff members to help them find employment elsewhere.

“We will be working closely with our staff and families involved to help them in any way we can. We are offering additional support including counsellors to help people come to terms with these dreadful circumstances which have been forced upon them,” says Mr Anderson.

Foodstuffs is committed to rebuilding these stores, however this is likely to be a lengthy process.