DERRY'S iconic Austins store, one of the oldest independent department stores in the world, has gone into liquidation with the loss of more than 50 jobs.
Staff arrived for work at the landmark city centre building to find it closed on Tuesday morning. They were subsequently told they had all lost their jobs.
Derry’s City Hotel Group, which owns the shop building, said it was not notified by the trading company which operated the business of the intended closure.
In a brief statement the group said: “It is with regret that the directors of the City Hotel have learned from media reports of the closure of the business operated by the trading company known as Hassonzender Ltd.
"We would point out that the City Hotel Group have no involvement in the trading business conducted by Hassonzender Ltd."
Austins was opened by Thomas Austin in 1830 and remained in his family until the 1970s when it was brought by Derry businessman, Larry Hasson. It remained in his family’s ownership until 2014 when it was taken over by the City Hotel Group.
The store came to national prominence in 2009 when it was the subject of a television documentary 'Keep It In the Family' and again in 2013 when it formed one of the backdrops for the City of Culture Lumiere festival.
Derry business leader, Sinead McLaughlin said the closure was "terribly sad news" for the city.
Ms McLaughlin, chief executive of the city's chamber of commerce, said: "We will all wish that action can be taken to save a business which is an icon for Derry."
Liquidator, Ronan Duffy of McCambridge Duffy LLP, described yesterday’s development as a "very sad day for the city," saying it had been an iconic feature of city life for many years.
SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood said he was shocked by the news. He said the development showed how important it was to promote and protect city and town centres as retailing hubs.
"The failure of the Executive to properly invest in the west has left a legacy of economic stagnation and the important of this has been felt by the staff of Austins today," he said.
DUP assembly member, Gary Middleton said Austins was part of the city’s fabric.
"The business has served generations of people in the city and beyond and I am saddened to hear that it has gone into liquidation," he said.
Derry Sinn Féin councillor, Mikey Cooper said he was shocked and saddened at the news. It was important that the need of the store’s staff remained a priority, he said.
The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Association said the closure was not just a loss for Derry but for the wider Northern Ireland independent retail sector.
