Cash and carry business to cut staff

MALLOW-based cash and carry business Barry Group yesterday confirmed it was letting nine of its full-time staff go as part of arestructuring process.

The company, founded in Mallow in 1955, employs 250.

It said it was re-organising its workforce because, like much of the retail sector, it had suffered as a result of the downturn in the latter half of last year. It called the staff to a general meeting yesterday and informed them of the nine job losses.

A spokeswoman said the rationalisation would allow the company to face into 2012 with greater confidence.

She said the company regularly keeps staff updated on how the business is performing.

Barry Group operates the Costcutter, Quik Pick, Buy Lo and Carry Out brands in Ireland. It also provides a central billing facility to over 235 affiliated shops across the country.

Meanwhile M&P O’ Sullivan Ltd has announced the closure of its tobacco retail outlet at Academy Street, Cork, with the loss of two jobs.

The outlet had been in operation for 107 years.

The company blamed the general downturn in business, a general fall-off of sales of tobacco products as a result of annual increases in tax as well as what it described as a proliferation of tobacco related legislation, including that a tobacco shop can no longer display tobacco, loose tobacco or cigars.

A spokeswoman stressed that M&P O’ Sullivan Ltd’s core business, wholesale cash and carry at Sarsfield Road, Wilton, would not be affected and would continue to employ almost 50 people.