News
Clintons card shop to close more stores this month including in Greater Manchester
Another one to disappear from the highstreet
Clintons card shop is expected to shut down more of its stores this month after a string of closures last year — the second card brand casualty in Greater Manchester to fall victim to pressures of rising costs.
Bolton’s Market Street store is scheduled to close in March, though the exact date is unclear at this time. The card retailer will also be shutting its Whitehaven branch on March 19th — Mother’s Day — followed by its Cumbria unit, for good.
The future of the staff members based at the closing branches is uncertain as Clintons is yet to confirm the dates and whether it plans to shut any more of its shops in 2023. The greetings card chain permanently closed three of its shops last year including Market Harborough in January, Ayr on April 12th and Dorchester on December 29th.
The household brand was founded in 1968 but has struggled in recent years due in part to high business rates and a change in people’s shopping habits with people moving online as they can find cheaper bargains and for convenience.
The card retailer has also struggled to compete with rivals on the high street and online. Card Factory is its biggest high street rival, as well as online players Moonpig and Funky Pigeon. Speculation about the future of the chain arose in 2019 when it announced it urgently needed to close 66 of its stores to avoid collapse.
The firm resolved its woes by entering a ‘pre-pack administration’ back in December 2019, as its brand and its assets — its shops, staff and website — were sold to a new company called Esquire Retail Limited. But the move still involved hundreds of job losses and store closures.
At its peak before administration, the retailer had 2,500 staff working across 335 shops, but by January 2022, only 2,000 employees remained and 238 shops were operating. By the end of March 2023, the chain is expected to operate 233 stores.
But Clintons isn’t the only high street retailer struggling to keep a presence on the high street. Many retailers have been feeling the pinch since the pandemic and now the soaring costs of inflation as shoppers have had to cut back on their spending.
Nearly 15,000 jobs have been axed since the start of the year as dozens of retailers collapsed or were restructured.
Paperchase closed its flagship Manchester store as it fell into administration in 2021. However, it re-opened at a smaller unit taking over the old Thornton’s chocolatier space, within the Arndale Shopping Centre — so shoppers can still buy its fancy cards and gift wrap.
Boots in Salford Shopping Centre closed in February, Homesense in the Arndale has closed and Marks and Spencer on Deansgate in Bolton has shut up shop too. Argos has closed a number its its larger stand alone stores and hopes to open desks within Sainsbury’s, after it agreed on a deal with the supermarket chain.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
News
More human remains discovered in Greater Manchester as police identify victim
All the latest updates
Detectives investigating the discovery of a torso in Kersal Dale have found more human remains around Greater Manchester.
GMP released a statement on the weekend, revealing they had opened four scenes for extensive searches – one of them at a warehouse in Bury, and three in Salford.
Searches took place at Blackleach reservoir, where human remains were found, and a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood.
Officers believe they have now identified the man, who they believe to be a man in his 60s that lived in Salford, and his family have been informed.
Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder probe, with officers saying they are thought to have lived with the victim.
Greater Manchester Police / Facebook
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Senior Investigating Officer for this investigation, said in a statement at Blackleach reservoir yesterday, Sunday April 28th: “We have continued to make significant progress in our investigation into human remains being found in Kersal earlier this month.
“From day one, our priority has been to identify the man and his family so that we can give them the support and the answers that they need.
“Thanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasn’t yet taken place, but we believe he is a man in his 60s and lived in Salford.
“Specially-trained family liaison officers have met with his family this afternoon to give them the devastating news, and we will do all that we can to support them at this awful time.
“We believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody for questioning over the weekend, as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.”
He continued: “We have painstakingly worked to follow up every line of inquiry in this investigation. Over the last couple of days, we have acted on information and had four scenes in place for extensive searches – one of them is at a warehouse in Bury, and three of them are in Salford, including here at Blackleach reservoir.
“Today, we have found some human remains at the reservoir here, and last night a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood. Forensic tests will continue to establish whose remains these are, but we are very confident that this is also the victim in our investigation.
“We have also been searching a house in Winton where we believe the victim and the two suspects lived. We have found evidence that the victim is likely to have died there – most likely in late March.
“While this is significant progress, we know there is still some way to go to complete this investigation. I also recognise details of this case will have been distressing for the people of Salford and beyond – including the officers that are diligently working on this investigation, and most importantly the man’s heartbroken family.
“Local officers will continue to patrol the affected areas, and we will provide updates when we have more information.”
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