Staff told Iceland store in Port Glasgow is to close

People living in the town reacted angrily and told the Tele that the loss of the Church Street store would be a devastating loss.

Fears for the future of the store grew as the landlords put up a 'To Let' sign above the store and are now marketing the 831.73 square metre retail premises for £30,000 a year.

Despite staff and customers being told the store is to close confusion remains over the future of the site as a spokesperson for Iceland claims there are 'currently no plans to close the Port Glasgow store'.

It comes as a number of retailers move out of the town centre with the Bank of Scotland due to close in September and the Spar closing.

Steven Sloane (Image: George Munro)

Inverclyde has suffered high profile closures in the last year with EE moving out along with Amazon, IBM and BPI announced manufacturing jobs losses.

A source told the Tele: "Staff were told that it is closing at the end of the year, some have been offered redundancy.

"Some have been offered a temporary contract for seasonal work at the Greenock store over Christmas. But after that, that is it.

"It is a real blow to our customers, many of them live nearby and rely on the store."

Jacqueline Coventry (Image: George Munro)

Iceland have a Food Warehouse store in the retail park but concerned locals said for many older people and those with disabilities living in the town centre it would be a major loss.

Margaret Barnes, who lives 88 years old and lives in Westray Avenue, said: "I think it is absolutely terrible. We were told by the staff that it was closing, there will be nothing left in the town centre.

"I always come in to Iceland and it is terrible for the staff. They are lovely in there and they look out for you.

"The manager is always helping people out to their cars with shopping.

"I have a heart condition and I have to watch, so I don't like to go far."

There is a 'To Let' sign on the front of the Iceland store (Image: George Munro)

Her daughter also Margaret said: "All the older folk in the high rises and who live in the Alleys area want to be able to walk here to Iceland.

"It is so sad. We are also losing the bank and I don't know what people are going to do after that.

"It came out of the blue for the staff, it was a complete shock."

Fellow Port Glasgow shopper Brenda Hughes, 67, added: "It is such a shame and everyone is talking about it. It is a big loss to the town centre.

"I stay in Kinross Avenue, I am disabled and I come down to Iceland once or twice a week."

"People don't always want to go and buy in bulk at the Food Super Store."

(Image: George Munro)

Jacqueline Coventry from Berwick Road in Port Glasgow was also dismayed at the shock move.

She said: "There will be nothing left but Tesco in Port Glasgow. We have lost so many different places. It will only leave Farmfoods.

"We are also losing the bank as well, it is terrible for Port Glasgow."

Steven Sloane, aged 32, works in McKenzies butchers nearby, he said: "It is a bad news for so many people who rely on Iceland. But also for the independent retailers, we rely on the footfall coming in to the town centre. When retailers like Iceland goes it is a big blow.

"There is the retail park but that doesn't suit everyone."