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.