Betta gone, Rivers deadline looms

Specific details for last week’s closure have not been made public.

At the same time, a decision on the future of Rivers stores across the country remains in limbo as an administration process for parent company Mosaic Brands continues.

Mosaic Brands went into voluntary administration in October, with KPMG taking over as creditors of the company.

In December KPMG announced that clothing line Katies will be removed from the company’s brands.

All 80 Katies stores will be closed by mid-January.

It also said a further 80 Millers, Rivers and Noni B brick-and-mortar shopfronts will shut in the same period.

KPMG told the Pastoral Times this week it still cannot confirm the location of stores slated for closure, but that any selected for the closure program “are now expected to all be closed by the end of February”.

As owner of the building in which Rivers operates, Lester Wheatley said he’s had no direct communication regarding the future of the Deniliquin store.

He said he hoped it was a case of “no news is good news” given the time frame proposed.

The silver lining for Deniliquin’s economy is that it has only recently picked up another nationally renowned company, with RB Sellers opening its Deniliquin store in mid-December.

It is one of only 18 physical stores across Australia managed by the company.

Deniliquin Business Chamber president Angela Parker said she was saddened by last week’s news from Betta, but she is hopeful the building won’t remain empty long.

“It is absolutely devastating to see a local business close down, for the business owners and the community,” Mrs Parker said.

“It and Rivers are two very big establishments in town, and we can only hope that the great momentum we’ve seen in Deniliquin will set us up for suitable substitutes - and chamber will certainly be advocating for that.

“Any decision to close obviously impacts on the people that work in those stores, and any closures will be felt by many.”