Jobs in balance as Rotherham Best Buy store faces closure

DOZENS of workers at a Rotherham superstore are facing an uncertain future with the news that it is to close just months after opening.

Phone giant Carphone Warehouse announced that all 11 Best Buy stores in the UK—including one at Parkgate—will close as the firm aims to sell more

electronics goods through smaller Carphone Warehouse branches.

The news comes less than five months after Best Buy—one of the USA’s biggest electronics chains—launched the new store, with America’s Got Talent star Alexis Jordan and X- Factor finalist Paije Richardson performing at a grand opening concert.

The firm said at the time that it was creating 100 new jobs at the Parkgate branch, linking up with Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and training centre The Source to train its staff through a trail-blazing apprenticeship scheme.

Carphone Warehouse said that it hopes to find the “large majority” of Best Buy’s 1,100 staff roles elsewhere within the organisation.

America's Got Talent star Alexis Jordan performs at the opening of Best Buys earlier this year. Click here.