![\"Trago](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_-.jpg\")
Trago Mills at Newton Abbot(Image: Andy Styles)<\/p>\nThe news has been given to some staff just before Christmas<\/p>\n
15:48, 05 Dec 2025Updated 15:58, 05 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
Trago Mills at Newton Abbot(Image: Andy Styles)<\/p>\n
Trago Mills has confirmed that jobs are at risk at its Newton Abbot store – blaming rising operating costs and government-imposed hikes. Staff working in the store’s leisure and catering sectors are being hit.<\/p>\n
DevonLive understands workers received formal emails on Thursday saying redundancies will be made.<\/p>\n
Trago confirmed last month that it had ‘no option other than to enter consultation with employees’. Much of the speculation focused on the business’ Falmouth store<\/a> but workers in Newton Abbot<\/a> are now also affected.<\/p>\n One anonymous worker said the possibility of redundancy had come as a bombshell before Christmas<\/a> and staff were dismayed at the timing. The company has not confirmed how many jobs could be axed. It will not reveal numbers until the consultation is complete.<\/p>\n Trago Chairman, Bruce Robertson said: “Deeply embedded in the value sector, Trago had hoped to weather<\/a> the storm, managing, so far as has been possible, compound inflationary costs.<\/p>\n “Operating costs continue to increase unrelentingly, including eye-watering energy tariffs and government-imposed increases to both Employer\u2019s National Insurance and the National Living Wage.<\/p>\n “This combined with, at best, flat sales, has led the business to a point where must conduct a thorough review of under-performing departments and peripheral activities at all stores to prepare the business for the challenges of \u201926 and beyond.”<\/p>\n Trago Mills has become a landmark shopping destination in Devon. Its distinctive towers are easily spotted off the A38 and it boasts the biggest garden centre in the South West.<\/p>\n It is beloved by many for its range of household items ranging from carpets and clothing to kitchens and toys.<\/p>\n The leisure team includes staff who work on the miniature steam railway and go-karts. It also has a tea room and cafe.<\/p>\n Mr Robertson said previously that the current retail climate is ‘unrecognisable’ from what it was in previous years.<\/p>\n He added: “Our passion is undiminished, as for ourselves Trago is as much a way of life as a business. Heart may have ruled head on occasion, we have continued beyond where others have chucked in the towel, but now we must address the present.”<\/p>\n \u26a0\ufe0f Want the latest Devon breaking news and top stories first? Click here to join our WhatsApp group<\/a>. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice<\/a> \u26a0\ufe0f<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The news has been given to some staff just before Christmas 15:48, 05 Dec 2025Updated 15:58, 05 Dec…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":301397,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,3462,2195,59,33822,121063,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-301396","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-christmas","10":"tag-employment","11":"tag-gb","12":"tag-newton-abbot","13":"tag-trago","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301396\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/301397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}