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Government insisted MEA shops stayed open

Mon, 23 Apr 2012

The MEA was instructed to keep its struggling shops open as the previous government tried to keep town centres alive.

It was announced last week that the five stores will close with the loss of 24 jobs.

Chairman of the Manx Electicity Authority Eddie Lowey says it was discovered by the new board five years ago that the shops were losing money but former Chief Minister Tony Brown insisted they stay open.

Major steps were then taken to try to turn the situation around but the stores still lost hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

Mr Lowey believes Mr Brown's efforts to keep retail in town centres were noble.[play media file below]

 

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Media

• MEA Chairman Eddie Lowey