Dozens of Tasmanian staff employed at remaining Godfreys vacuum stores are among 600 people who will lose their jobs nationally within the next two months.
Administrators for the vacuum giant confirmed the chain will permanently close 141 stores across Australia and New Zealand by the end of May.
Currently, the business operates stores in Derwent Park, Launceston and Devonport, having previously had outlets at the Homemaker Centre in Cambridge and Burnie.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have spent over a month searching for a buyer for the business after it was placed into voluntary administration on January 30, receiving 55 expressions of interest and six indicative offers.
“With interested parties withdrawing and no satisfactory bids to acquire Godfreys store network yet received, the administrators have no other option but to commence a progressive wind-down of Godfreys’ operations in Australia and New Zealand,” administrators said in a statement.
“This is not the outcome Godfreys had hoped for following a rigorous process to find a purchaser for the business that could keep the store network trading.”
“In the absence of any further bidders coming forward as intermittent trading continues, the process of closing all remaining stores will progress over the next eight weeks.”
“We recognise this is a difficult time for staff, franchisees and other stakeholders and we will continue to work closely with all parties to ensure they are informed and supported over the coming weeks.”
