BOURNEMOUTH STORE FORCED TO SHUT AS STAFF FACE ANGER

7:00am Saturday 3rd January 2009

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A FASHION store boss was forced to shut up shop after angry customers screamed abuse and hurled stock at her traumatised staff, it has been revealed.

Natalie Bennett, who manages USC in Commercial Road, Bournemouth, said: “I had no choice but to close on Tuesday afternoon – for the safety of my staff.”

Trouble flared after the retailer, with 58 shops across the UK, went into administration, putting around 300 jobs at risk.

Dundonald Holdings Ltd has agreed to buy up 43 stores, safeguarding 1,127 jobs. The remaining outlets, including the Bournemouth shop, are being temporarily operated by administrator PKF.

Miss Bennett, 24, told the Daily Echo how tempers had flared after shoppers were told that their gift vouchers would not be honoured or refunds made.

She said: “I understand why customers are angry. We have tried to explain that we have been told we can’t take vouchers or give refunds but people just won’t listen.

“On Tuesday they started shouting abuse and throwing clothes and vouchers in our faces. We haven’t got any security staff so I had to close at 4pm to safeguard my staff. Some were reduced to tears but the abuse didn’t stop.

“Fortunately security guards at other surrounding stores have come to our aid since we re-opened on Wednesday morning. We’re still getting about five customers an hour turning on us and we’ve had to prevent them from helping themselves to items in the store, warning them that it’s theft.”

The Bournemouth mother-of-one, who has worked for the high street chain for the past seven years, said five out of 20 staff at the shop had already left.

She added: “I don’t blame them but I have to try and trade as long as I can.

“Other staff, like me, are long-standing employees and need their redundancy payments.

“All I have been told is that we are closing and losing our jobs but I don’t know when. It could be a few days, it could be a month.

“On Monday afternoon I was told we had gone into administration. We have been given no more information and are only trading while we have stock.

“Our Christmas sale is still on but no new stock is being delivered.

“I’ve got a little boy to support and I’d much rather they would shut up the shop so I can look for a new job.

“Things have got so bad that I’ve had to put up a notice saying that what has happened is not down to us.

“Through no fault of our own, we just happen to be in the frontline and are bearing the brunt of customers’ rage.”