Caudwell lashes 'complacent Dixons'

13 April 2012

MOBILE phone tycoon John Caudwell has attacked Dixons over its sudden cull of one in three of its High Street electrical stores.

The outspoken Phones 4U owner, who competes directly with Dixons' The Link mobile phone chain, labelled its move 'a knee-jerk reaction' to falling sales and accused Dixons of being complacent.

Caudwell favours weeding out underperforming stores instead. 'I would never say I was closing 100 shops,' he said. 'This sort of move could indicate management complacency.'

Dixons chief executive John Clare reckons all its electrical outlets could disappear from the High Street in a decade, being replaced by 130 larger xL stores.

The chain has been hit by competition from Tesco, Asda and online retailers.

Caudwell prefers shopping at out-of-town retail parks where he can get a parking spot for his £250,000 Bentley but says Phones 4U best suits small shops.

Caudwell rules out following rival Carphone Warehouse on to Continental High Streets. He wants to focus on improving customer service.

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