Crisis-hit JJB stores across the West Midlands are to close with the loss of dozens of jobs.
Staff at branches in Walsall, the Merry Hill centre and Tamworth are all due to go within weeks.
The bombshell comes just days after Wolverhampton’s city centre store closed and quickly re-opened as discount trader Sports Direct.
JJB refused to confirm any of the closures, but earlier this week it was the reported the retailer was reviewing the future of some 70 stores nationwide.
At Walsall’s Bescot Crescent store, staff were left reeling today after being told 32 jobs will go.
One worker said: “The staff are shocked – it has come as an absolute bombshell to them. They were told today and it was really sad.”
The smaller of Merry Hill’s two JJB stores is to close in the next few weeks, staff said today.
Staff at JJB in Ankerside, Tamworth, have been told it will close in the next two to four weeks. One worker said: “We have been expecting it to be honest.
“As far as the specific store goes, it is the fact that we don’t make money. We are in a small high street store and it’s quiet.”
Staff at JJB in Windmill Lane, Smethwick, and The Ringway, Oldbury, said today they do not know if their shops would be affected. The Stafford store declined to comment.
JJB runs 420 stores nationwide, employing more than 8,000 people in sales and distribution.
It is feared around 1,000 jobs across the country could be lost. A spokeswoman for the company would not comment on the closures, saying only it was “reviewing its store portfolio”.
“We cannot confirm this at the present time but JJB is an evolving brand and is always looking at its public offer,” she said.
18 Comments
maybe if the staff at walsall had took notice of the customers and not just carried on with their conversations it would have helped
yet another big store closed and empty in wolverhampton
No 1.
I agree wholeheartedly with you,
the staff at Walsall are the most ignorant
people I’ve ever met and need educating
on people skills.
i think its a common thing among JJB stores. ignorant pea brained staff with no customer service! they’ll employ anyone! Im glad its going! maybe if they worked on their staff being more professional would help!
Ah. I see the E & S is going in for recycling “big time”. This story was “news” some weeks ago and still it gives the misleading impression of an empty store.
JJB seem to have branches on every corner of Wton. Are the other stores, eg in the Mander Centre and on Stafford Road, closing?
Rather sketchy reporting I think.
This doesn’t surprise me. The stores are always quiet and the products they offer are either unnapealing, or they can generally be bought cheaper elsewhere at Sports World stores.
The above comments on certain staff are very true too.
And rather sketchy commenting from you, PJW Holland.
JJB do not, and have never had a store in the Mander Centre!, there is still the big Stafford St. store, but hardly ‘every corner of Wton’.
Oh, and to the people complaining about JJB staff, i used to work for JJB. The staff are given very little training if any, and where generaly treated like dirt by JJB higher managment, not to mention rude customers!
RS you cant say that all jjb stores are filled with pea brained ignorant staff, my brother was supervisor of the wolverhampton branch and its come as an absolute shock to all the staff there. The top dogs of the jjb doesnt care for its atff all they care about it making their millions. Not even considering that thousand of people are now jobless, with most of the with hardly any propects of finding another job. i cant realli defend the walsall branch because ive never been there myself but i can assure you that all staff at wolverhampton are very polite and strive to ensure excellent customer service.
Maybe people have just realised that if your a REAL sports player theres no damn point in shopping at JJB.
The staff are nothing more than chavs dressed in the gear you can buy.They have no proffesional knowledge of any sport or are able to assist anyone looking for anything particular to a particular sport.
Its a chav shopping centre with bright lights,rude staff and little to offer anyone unless its cheap tat your after!
Post no 5. That seems to be an overstatement that JJB’s have shops on every corner they only have 2!
Feel sorry for the staff - GOOD LUCK !!!
Agree with the above, the `Staff` do leave a lot to be desired.
Miss Opinion
It certainly seems as though there is a branch on every corner…. They remain well represented.
and marc
what is the store situated on the lower level of the former central arcade in the Mander Centre?
Oh. That is JD Sports…. Are they related?
Grrrr! jeez yet again we have ppl sterotyping the jjb staff!! Post no. - Breeze. You need to get it in ur head that not all jjb staff are chavs!! that a ridiculus statemnent to make, and im sure that if it was ur sister that was working there you would be the first one saying hows its a decent shop. And as for the ‘cheap tat’ that you talk about. i suggest you have a look in ur wardrobe cus im sure its full of items from the jjb sales!!!
Post No 15 - No, completely different companies. JD are geared towards more street/fashionable ’sportswear’.
I work within one of the 70 selected JJB stores that is closing down and it came as a shock to all of us. I’ve been there 2 years and will miss everyone involved!