Armstrong’s May Be Rebuilt

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31830, 7 November 1968, Page 1

Armstrong’s May Be Rebuilt

The site of T. Armstrong and Company, Ltd, with frontages on Colombo Street, Oxford Terrace and Armagh Street, was more likely to be rebuilt, redeveloped, and enlarged than to be occupied in its present form, the firm’s manager (Mr T. Armstrong) said yesterday. Armstrong’s department

store closed at 5 p.m. on Tuesday after trading for more than 88 years.

The site, because of its position overlooking Victoria Square and the proposed new town hall and civic centre, would be highly sought after, he said.

A Wellington group, acting on behalf of some other interests, had already made an approach for the property, he said.

He believed that the group hoped to build modem shops on the ground floor and highrise offices or apartments above the shopping area. A big hotel-motel organisation, said Mr Armstrong,

could also be interested in acquiring the department store.

Many Christchurch firms, including big retailers, had offered jobs for members of Armstrong’s staff, he said. “I am very optimistic about all our staff getting jobs.” Most of the staff had been given a week’s notice from the time the store closed its doors on Tuesday, but clerical workers had not received notice yet, he said. “They will be working possibly for a month or more,” he said. “AH of our staff will have finished by Christmas.”

The blinds were drawn over the doors at Armstrongs yes-

terday but many of the sales staff inside were stock-taking. A director of Ford and Hadfield (Mr D. O. Chapman) yesterday said that two consortiums were negotiating for the purchase of Armstrong’s building. Both had in mind developing the building, leasing it, and cutting it up into smaller shops. One of the negotiating consortiums was a Wellington group.

Mr Chapman said that his firm was negotiating with a consortium other than the Wellington group, and '‘it could well go to these people.” A deputation from the Can-

terbury Trades Council would today ask the management of T. Armstrong and Company, Ltd, for one week’s pay for each year of service of all employees who would lose their jobs through the firm’s closing, the secretary of the Shop Assistants’ Union (Mr B. Alderdice) said yesterday. Mr Alderdice said the deputation would be led by the president of the council (Mr R. A. Hill). “To the best of our knowledge the store had no superannuation scheme. These employees are due for something in the way of what other people have been getting in superannuation.”