The five Premier Foreways stores in Carlisle are set to close after nearly 40 years serving the community, with Armstrong Watson appointed as liquidator
A UK mini-chain of corner shops is preparing to shut all outlets after nearly 40 years of trading. The retailer revealed the closures following its descent into liquidation. All five Premier Foreways outlets in Carlisle will shut their doors permanently, with Armstrong Watson brought in as liquidator.
The shops traded under the Premier banner but remained independently owned. The sites had been serving customers for nearly four decades, becoming beloved corner shops within their communities, reports the Mirror.
Local residents have described the closures of the Wigton Road, Bedford Road, Blackwell Road, Newlaithes Avenue, and Warwick Road branches as a ‘shame’.
One neighbour wrote on Facebook: “They’ve been there so long. Hope the staff find something else.” Additional comments revealed that shelves had been ’empty a while’, while others expressed surprise, saying they believed the stores ‘were doing okay’.
The outlets were owned by Billy Bone, who has received glowing tributes on social media from numerous former staff members.
One worker posted: “Good employers like this are few and far between, and I know many of the staff who have worked for them over the years will wholeheartedly agree. They will be sorely missed in the community.”
Mr Bone described the liquidation decision as particularly tough, given they were Carlisle’s first Premier stores.
An Armstrong Watson spokesperson confirmed: “We can confirm that Armstrong Watson has been instructed by the directors to assist them in placing the company into liquidation,” reports the News and Star.
Premier operates as a convenience store brand under Tesco’s ownership, with more than 4,000 outlets nationwide. The majority of outlets nationwide display the Premier branding but remain independently owned.
What happens next for these shops is currently uncertain.