THE company that ran the food mall at Intu Lakeside’s new Plaza leisure extension have broken their silence about the circumstances which saw the venue unexpectedly closed on 19 December reports Thurrock Nub News.
A spokesperson for Market Halls said: “It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of The Hall’s first and only outlet – The Hall, intu Lakeside.
“We were very excited about the promise of the expansion plans of intu Lakeside but due to a variety of reasons, including delays to the opening of other key tenants, we never saw the levels of footfall required to sustain a business of our nature.
“There is, of course, no ideal time to close a business but due to the site’s trading levels, it was sadly unviable to keep open over the Christmas period. All of the staff were correctly informed and consulted on a one to one basis about the closure and offered positions within the business.
“The management team and over 50 per cent of the staff are coming to work within other areas of the business in central London. Understandably, the commute was too much for some. The team were paid salaries owed, holidays and an extra notice amount.”
A spokesperson for intu Lakeside said: “We’re always sorry to see a store close and we wish everyone affected all the very best.
“The Hall’s decision to cease trading was a commercial one taken by the business’s owners.
“Footfall at the centre has been really positive and thousands of people enjoy the new leisure facilities at The Quay every day. Feedback from tenants has been extremely encouraging and customers have been delighted with our new leisure and increased dining options.”
