FURNITURE chain John Cootes is set to close all of its stores across NSW and the ACT after more than 35 years of trade.
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Around 135 staff at 12 stores, including one in Bathurst, will lose their jobs.
A statement made by Elanor Investors Group to the Australian Stock Exchange on Monday said John Cootes Furniture employs 90 full-time and 45 part-time and casual staff.
“It is expected that all JCF [John Cootes Furniture] stores will be closed by the end of the calendar year,” the statement read.
JCF’s other stores are located at: Merrylands, Penrith, Tuggerah, Prospect, Newcastle, Auburn, Campbelltown, Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Taree and Rutherford.
JCF’s distribution centre is located at Silverwater.
“The stores will be closed progressively with all stores, other than the Merrylands store, expected to be closed by late September/early October,” the Elanor statement said.
Elanor said it was committed to delivering full entitlements, redundancy payments and, additionally, an ex gratia payment to all staff.
The John Cootes Furniture store in Bathurst is located at 230 Sydney Road in Kelso.
John Cootes opened its first store in Sydney in the early 1980s.