Bible charity IBS-STL UK put its UK operations, which included Kingstown-based STL Distribution, up for sale last month, plunging the future of the Carlisle staff into uncertainty, but a takeover secures 150 jobs at Carlisle Christian books firm
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EXCLUSIVE By Elizabeth Broughton
The future of 150 staff at a Carlisle-based book operation has been secured after the company was successfully taken over in time for Christmas.
Bible charity IBS-STL UK put its UK operations, which included Kingstown-based STL Distribution, up for sale last month, plunging the future of the Carlisle staff into uncertainty.
But, in what is a major jobs boost for the city, the 150 staff were told over the weekend that their jobs were safe after John Ritchie Ltd, a Kilmarnock-based book publisher and distributor, agreed to buy the Carlisle business.
STL Distribution’s general manager, David Young, told The Cumberland News that there was a “tremendous sense of relief” among all the staff in Carlisle.
About 100 people work in the firm’s warehousing department, which distributes Christian books to independent religious book shops as well as national firms WH Smith and Waterstones. They also supply books to IBS-STL UK’s 40 outlets, Wesley Owen Books and Film, 14 of which have also been saved. The remaining Carlisle staff work in marketing, accounts and finance, IT, customer service and a call centre.
Mr Young said: “There’s a tremendous sense of relief felt by staff in Carlisle to know their jobs are safe. I’m really, really pleased that we’ve been able to secure as many jobs as we have but sad for those sites where we’ve not been able to secure the jobs.”
Carlisle was the head office of IBS-STL UK – which is now in administration – and the rest of the charity’s staff were spread across the 40 Wesley Owen stores in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and a small publishing operation in Milton Keynes.
Among the 26 Wesley Owen shops still facing an uncertain future is the one in Fisher Street, Carlisle, which employs five people. The charity’s administrators are selling remaining stock while continuing to look for a buyer.
John Ritchie Ltd has taken over the Kingstown operation with immediate effect, and will keep the STL Distribution brand.
Ken Munro, chief executive, said: “Our immediate goal is to quickly return the business to the levels of service and stability that customers have enjoyed over many years. We will achieve this by building on the existing team and infrastructure as the foundation of future success.”
Keith Danby, IBS-STL UK’s Carlisle-based chief executive, said: “I am delighted with the developments. I could not have imagined five weeks ago such a positive outcome.
“It has been a very difficult year for everyone and the uncertainty of the last month has created extraordinary anxiety for people with families, financial commitments and obligations, yet they have continued to fight for the survival of the company and done their very best to keep going.”
Authentic Music, in Milton Keynes, has been bought by Eastbourne-based Kingsway Communications, Authentic Book Publishing and eight of the Wesley Owen stores have been sold to Australian family-firm Koorong, while a further six Wesley Owen stores have been sold to CLC International (UK).