Mitre 10 stays until year's end

It is "business as usual", according to Mitre 10 Umina Beach store manager Mr Blake Sandell.

"There is no secret that the store has been sold to Woolworths, but we are open as usual well until the end of the year," Mr Sandell said.

Peninsula News reported in its last edition that the Umina Beach Mitre 10 store had been sold and would be vacating its site later this month.

The information was provided to Peninsula News from Mitre 10's public relations company Haystac PR.

However, Mr Sandell has since said the information was untrue and confirmed that the store would be open until the end of the year.

"No official date has been set as yet," Mr Sandell said.

"But we are trading as usual until it is time to vacate the site.

"I want to make sure our customers are aware that it is business as usual.

"A lot of sales and promotions will be coming up in the next few months for our customers to take advantage of."

The Mitre 10 store has been in West St, Umina Beach, for more than 30 years.

Mr Sandell said it would be sad to see the store close after such a long time.

He said the hardware store would not be relocating to another site.

He also said long-term employees were being "looked after" and relocated to other hardware stores on the Central Coast.

Clare Graham, 10 April 2008