CARPETRIGHT’S GUNVILLE STORE NOW CLOSED AFTER COLLAPSE OF FIRM

The doors to the Isle of Wight’s Carpertright store have been slammed shut this week with the loss of a number of jobs. Last week it was confirmed that the national chain had appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as administrators.

Then, on Monday, Tapi Carpets & Floors announced that it had bought the Carpetright brand name, the company’s intellectual property, 2 warehouses and 54 stores – but that did not include the Isle of Wight.

With the company in administration and no interest in the Isle of Wight store from Tapi or others, the doors to the Gunville-based retail outlet have been firmly shut. It’s understood the Taylor Road store was closed on Wednesday morning. The future of the large retail unit is now unclear, with fears it could remain empty for years to come – just like the former Mothercare unit opposite. Zelf Hussain, Joint Administrator at PwC, has said:

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“Carpetright has fallen victim to challenges facing many retailers, especially those selling big ticket items. A mixture of factors, including a big reduction in consumer spending due to cost of living pressures, lower home sales and a debilitating cyber attack made it impossible for the business to continue in its current form. “The sale of some stores and the brand to Tapi has allowed over 300 jobs to be saved, and gives the Carpetright brand the chance to continue and flourish under its new ownership. “However, it is deeply saddening that for the remainder of the workforce there will be redundancies. We are committed to helping those affected and will make sure redundancy claims are processed as quickly as possible. In collaboration with Tapi, we will assist in efforts to help individuals find new jobs elsewhere”.