‘No decision made on cuts at Currys’

8:23am Friday 16th May 2008

RETAIL chains Currys and PC World last night said they could not predict how the North-East would be affected by plans to make the company "unrecognisable"

through a three-year revival plan.

John Browett, chief executive of parent firm DSG International, yesterday unveiled a "consumer- focused" revamp which will bring the wholesale retraining of store staff, more choice of products and shop redesigns.

The plan includes the removal of 77 under-performing Currys.

digital stores from the group's estate as their leases end over the next four to five years.

It also includes £50m of costcutting in the coming year, but Mr Browett said reports that a quarter of the office's 1,600 jobs are to be axed were "speculation".

Last night, a spokesman for DSG International said no decisions had yet been taken as to where the axe would fall, so could not comment specifically on the North-East, where the group has many outlets.

"Some Currys.digital high street stores may be considered for closure when their leases run out, but as the average lease runs for four or five years, we will not be announcing which stores are being considered for closure until much later down the line,"

said the spokesman.

DSG has been one of the major casualties of the consumer slowdown, issuing two profits warnings this year and continued trading difficulties in Italy.

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