// Mountain Warehouse CEO mulls job cuts after Covid-19 outbreak impacts sales
// The retailer is now in a “battle for survival”
Mountain Warehouse founder and chief executive Mark Neale has warned that redundancies are likely to take place after the business experienced a “catastrophic” drop in sales prompted by the coronavirus outbreak.
The outdoor clothing and equipment retailer posted a 22nd consecutive year of record Christmas sales in January, after total sales for the 13-week period ending December 29 surged 16.2 per cent year-on-year to £95.8 million.
However, Neale said Mountain Warehouse is now in a “battle for survival” following the recent sales drop.
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Consequently, Neale called for the government to take “urgent” and “enormous” action to help businesses around the country.
He added that he expects low footfall to worsen following the government’s new advice against large public gatherings.
Neale told Radio 4’s Today programme that Mountain Warehouse’s sales “completely evaporated” since Thursday and Friday last week.
On Monday, sales were down 50 per cent, which Neale expects to worsen in the coming days.
Mountain Warehouse operates nearly 400 stores across nine countries.
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