GENERAL store Boyes has become the latest retailer to lay workers off as part of a cost-cutting programme after a slump in consumer spending.
The family firm, which is based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and employs more than 1,000 staff at 29 outlets, has shed 41 jobs, including some in the North-East.
Managing director Andrew Boyes said 15 of the losses were voluntary redundancies.
He said: "We couldn't rely on natural wastage to get where we want, so we have had to make some redundancies. A mixture of stores have been affected, with quite a few in the North-East.
"The retail slowdown has been well documented and we are not immune from that.
"We have been looking at what we expect to take in over the coming months and needed to get our cost base in line with sales expectations.
Mr Boyes said the company was still trading well and that he was planning to open more stores.
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