STAFF redundancies have been made at a Barnstaple store which opened in November, claims a former employee.

B&M which is based at Coney Avenue in Newport opened its doors on Saturday, November 9, with around 50 members of staff.

However, while initial sales were good and extra staff were taken on to cope, a number of these have since been let go.

The Journal has spoken to a former B&M staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, who was taken on by the store under a permanent contract but has since left.

They said: “I saw someone I worked with this morning who told me she had been let go along with another six.

Sourced from thenorthdevonjournal.com

“When we were stocking the store the manger categorically denied that they would reduce staff because they were overstaffed, but would get down to the numbers they wanted by natural wastage.”

It is understood that of the extra staff taken on, half have since been let go, meaning there is still a higher number of staff in place than when the store first opened.

B&M spokesman Charlie Du Pre said: “In the run up to Christmas, we employed a number of additional colleagues on temporary contracts to support the seasonal demand.

“Since opening day, however, the total number of permanent full and part time colleagues has only reduced by one and we currently employ 59 permanent colleagues in our Barnstaple store.”