Staff shocked as shoe giant gives Romsey shop the boot (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Staff shocked as shoe giant gives Romsey shop the boot

10:32am Friday 5th October 2012 in Romsey

STAFF have expressed their sadness and surprise at the upcoming closure of a town centre shoe shop.

The Stead & Simpson store in The Hundred is set to close.

Though staff said they had been told closure would be at the end of November, Shoe Zone, which owns the Stead & Simpson, were unable to confirm this.

Shoe Zone aid the store was closing down due to poor performance and rising costs, which made the location unsustainable.

Staff members, who did not want to be named, said they had at first been told it would close in the spring of next year, then two weeks ago were told it would actually close in November.

“Closing Down” signs went up at the store on Sunday.

Staff members said they did not feel the store had been performing badly.

They said customers, many of whom were regulars, enjoyed the shop because it sold affordable shoes in a convenient location.

One said: “People just want their shoes, they like our shoes, we’re sad about it.

“Customers are so upset about it, because they love the shoes as they’re the right price for them.

“They have got a job to get anywhere else.”

She added: “The way that it was done has upset us.”

Another said: “We’re gutted for Romsey, all these people. It’s terrible.”

Staff said there was one full- time member of staff, who has already left, four part-time staff and three Saturday and Sunday girls.

A spokeswoman for Shoe Zone said closing down a store was always a difficult decision not taken lightly and that they tried wherever possible to redeploy staff to other stores.

Shoe Zone failed to respond when points were made about the Romsey store and requests for further information were put to them.