Harris Scarfe to shed jobs amid redevelopment of Hobart store
THE transformation of a key retailer in Hobart’s CBD has not come without cost on the jobs front.
Tasmania
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THE imminent closure of Hobart’s Harris Scarfe store has forced the shedding of some staff.
The company has announced a number of staff will be redeployed, but some redundancies have been necessary.
The city department store will be closing in mid January to allow for refurbishment that is part of the wider Cat and Fiddle arcade redevelopment.
The city Harris Scarfe store is expected to reopen later next year.
Harris Scarfe CEO Graham Dean said the redundant staff had been offered employment support and severance packages.
“We will work diligently to provide the best support to them for future employment,” Mr Dean said.
The union representing retail workers met staff this morning to discuss the job losses.
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association state secretary Paul Griffin said there were 13 permanent staff at the store, with about half offered redundancies.
“About half a dozen have been given a transfer to the Moonah store,” Mr Griffin said.
He said it would be a tough time for some workers, some of whom had probably been with the store for decades.
“There are some workers who have given almost their entire working life to the business,” he said.
“Some go as far back as the old FitzGerald’s”.
He said the store also had a high number of casual staff who could also seek a transfer to the Moonah store.
Harris Scarfe was previously FitzGerald’s Department Store, with the Hobart city branch the flagship store for the state.
“Fitzies”, as it was locally known, was acquired by Harris Scarfe and rebadged in 1995.
Mr Dean said the Harris Scarfe Collins St store would offer a “revitalised shopping experience that complements the wider development of Cat and Fiddle” when it reopened later in 2017.
“Harris Scarfe have committed a significant investment to improve and develop the department store offerings across Tasmania,” he said.
He said the full refurbishment of stores in both Moonah and Launceston were planned for completion in the first half of 2017.
Documents have been lodged with the Hobart City Council by the owner of Cat and Fiddle Arcade, Silverleaf Investments, for a range of works including facade restoration and a 33-room Quest Serviced Apartments hotel.
The works will upgrade key heritage frontages, including the old Fitzgerald’s Department Store on Collins St.
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