2023-08-15 08:33:03
The Big Bazar chain of stores, present in the Netherlands and Belgium, is closing 20 loss-making stores and hopes to pay less rent for 20 others. This was announced on Monday by general manager Heerke Kooistra.
These measures are necessary to “keep the chain, which has a total of 120 stores and 1,400 employees, healthy,” Heerke Kooistra told the Dutch press agency ANP. According to him, if the owners of the stores refuse to discuss the opening of the lease, all that remains is for Big Bazar to stop transferring the rent to start talks.
He has not yet been able to specify which stores will close. Big Bazar has 11 stores in Belgium, according to information on its website. There will be no forced layoffs, assures the director. Employees of a closing Big Bazaar can work in another branch if they wish.
Several store owners have already taken legal action over rent arrears that the chain deliberately allowed to accumulate. The owner of the Big Bazar branch in Goes, Zeeland even filed for bankruptcy. Mr. Kooistra believes that this is a means of pressure to force him to pay. He himself thinks that the application for bankruptcy has no chance of succeeding.
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