Roches job row ‘can still be resolved’

THE owner of a Cork shopping centre where 172 retail staff were made redundant has claimed a deal to secure the jobs was 95% complete as late as Friday evening.

Wilton Shopping Centre owner Joe O’Donovan insisted yesterday that a controversial lease deal can still be resolved and the jobs restored.

Enterprise and Employment Minister Micheál Martin has agreed to mediate in round table talks between Mr O’Donovan, Marks & Spencers (M&S) and the former anchor tenant at the centre, Roches Stores.

“I appeal to all sides to give this another 48 hours and to engage constructively. The future of the 172 workers is my main rationale for becoming involved,” said Mr Martin.

The ex-Roches Stores’ personnel were due to be retained by M&S as part of a takeover deal.

However, after M&S failed to reach an agreement with Mr O’Donovan on the hand-over of the lease, the Roches staff were laid off.

M&S had insisted it should be allowed to take up the lease terms, agreed in advance with Roches Stores, for the entire 45,000 sq ft premises.

But Mr O’Donovan demanded increased rent and only wished to lease just over 80% of the store. He wanted to fill the rest of the space with a retailer who could offer the products which M&S does not provide.

Mr O’Donovan said yesterday he had invited Mr Martin to step in and mediate at round table talks between all interested parties.

He told the Irish Examiner: “Contrary to public opinion, it is all still to play for. The deal can be retrieved. Contrary to public opinion I am aware of the difficulties of the staff. I am prepared to do all I can to make sure they are looked after.”

He said one of the issues was that a complete department store had ceased trading.

“Something to fill that vacuum must go in there again whether it be in one part or two parts,” he said. “Roches Stores ceased trading on September 6. No one was informed or asked. It was not negotiated with me. It was going to remain closed for nine months while Marks and Spencer fitted it out. That is not acceptable to me or to the 67 other tenants.”

He said Roches had agreed terms to hand over the unit without any consultation with him and should not have ceased trading before ensuring the deal was fully agreed with all parties including himself.

Mr O’Donovan claimed that after a week of manoeuvring, he and M&S had been very close to an agreement on Friday evening. “We were 95% there. “I would ask, in light of us being so close, that M&S would heed the minister’s (Mr Martin’s) appeal (for the workers’ jobs to be saved).

“This is not a play for me to make a fortune. It is not about money. It is about jobs.

“I am very sure that if roundtable discussions took place it would work.”

However, Neil Hyslop of M&S denied the deal was ‘95% there’ on Friday.

“He is well aware of our position and, in terms of his response, it is still well short,” he said. “Until the situation changes it has reached an impasse.”

He said it was unfair on the staff to portray the situation differently.

This morning, the laid-off staff will gather at their former place of work to discuss redundancy terms.