Airdrie’s branch of Semichem is to remain open after the store was given a reprieve following a review by the company.
The store on Bank Street in the town centre, which employs six staff members, is among four which had been placed under threat of closure but which the firm has now decided to retain, alongside branches at Castlemilk plus Dalkeith and Peterhead.
A Semichem spokesperson told Lanarkshire Live: “I am delighted to confirm that both the Airdrie and Castlemilk stores will remain open.
“The decision comes after we were able to negotiate an appropriate lease deal for the Castlemilk site, and following a further review of operations at our Airdrie site.
“It has been great to welcome our customers back into store.”
Branches at Alloa and Maybole which had similarly been under review are to close along with 16 more across Scotland, north-east England and Northern Ireland – including the branch at Victoria Road in Glasgow.
Semichem head Karen Scott said when the initial closures were announced in March: “The high street was already struggling to adapt to the pace of change in shopping habits, including out-of-town developments and the rise of internet shopping; that change has undoubtedly been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Owned by Scotmid Co-operative, Semichem currently has 86 health and household goods stores across the country, and Ms Scott added: “The remaining stores in our portfolio are trading satisfactorily.”
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