Staff from the House and Home department at Tynwald Mills are baffled and worried about what is going to happen to their jobs.

It appears that nearly a week since nine staff were told not to return to the St John’s complex they are still none the wiser about what is going on.

One member of staff who wished to remain anonymous told the Manx Independent: ’The staff haven’t been given any notice of losing their jobs at House and Home and have had no idea what is going on for the past six days, but they are not allowed to go to work.’

The employees were ordered off the premises on Friday.

They are thought to include a couple of pregnant women. It is understood some of the worried staff are considering taking some form of legal action.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the House and Home shop was open for business - but it is understood Tynwald Mills staff have been drafted over to work in there.

House and Home’s Facebook pages were still advertising a September offer with 70% off all Laura Ashley bedding and 50% off all accessories.

acquisition

Meanwhile, a team from the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group has now arrived in the Tynwald Mills shopping complex following its acquisition, which was exclusively confirmed to Isle of Man Newspapers last Friday on its iomtoday website.

The new owners have indicated that: ’In the first instance the group will focus on investment on the Tynwald Mills building itself where immediate work is required on the leaking roof and other areas to ensure that visiting and shopping is an outstanding experience.’

Yesterday (Wednesday) a spokesman for the group said they could not comment on the situation at House and Home because it is a separate business to Tynwald Mills.

Island businessman Stephen Bradley confirmed on Monday that he transferred his shares in House and Home to the then Tynwald Mills owner Bob Jeavons.

There is unconfirmed speculation over what Mr Jeavons’s next step will be over the House and Home jobs wrangle. He has refused to make any comment.

Mr Bradley, who was managing director of Tynwald Mills for 28 years, was awarded the MBE in the New Year Honours in 2014 for his services to the island’s business community.

He told the Manx Independent he could not comment any further other than confirming he transferred the shares in House and Home to Mr Jeavons.

Tynwald Mills is about 30 years old but the building itself dates back around 90 years.

The Carlisle-based Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group has pledged to invest in the site immediately and create new jobs over the long term, as revealed exclusively in the Examiner this week.

The group spokesman said the acquisition signals its ambition to cement the retail centre as the number-one shopping destination site in the island for families and tourists.

He stressed the group wants to make Tynwald Mills a place for a ’fantastic day out’.

The group believes a ’careful blend’ of shopping and catering options in a beautiful setting is ’a strong draw.’

Shopping tycoon Philip Day is the founder and chief executive of the group.