Staff win praise from boss of Peterborough's Beales as it prepares for closure

The boss of a department store in Peterborough that will close in just days has praised staff who have stuck with the retailer to the end.

The Beales store, in Westgate, has embarked on the last week of its clearance sale before finally closing its doors on Saturday (January 28).

Chief executive Tony Brown said: “Our staff have been magnificent.

"They have all stayed to the end and have agreed to stay for the week after while everything is moved out.

"I took them all out for dinner on Thursday – let’s say the atmosphere was pragmatic.”

He said the 16 members of staff had him told how thankful they were to have worked for Beales and that they would miss being at the store.

Mr Brown said the key reason for the store’s closure was a business rates bill that included payment for space in Westgate that Beales was not using.

He said: “The amount being charged made the business unviable.

"It is disappointing that the council has not even been in touch about the closure.

Mr Brown added: “I had high hopes for the store.

"I always loved working in Peterborough.”

Beales began trading in May 2021 in the same buildings the retailer had occupied for nine years until its collapse into administration in 2020.

The Beales web address and brand were bought in 2021 by New Start 2020, of which Mr Brown was a director, and the retailer was revived and now has stores in Poole and Stockport.