ALLDERS, the department store group with outlets in Chatham and Aylesford, has axed 11 jobs and reported a dip in profits.

The jobs cut in the Chatham High Street store, and Allders’ At Home outlet in Quarry Wood Retail Park, Aylesford, is part of a national workforce reduction of 130.

The company blamed a “challenging” climate on the high street, restructuring and the one-off cost of new stores for the £5.5 million fall in pre-tax profits for the six months ending March 31.

Allders’ new store in Oxford Street, London, opened on May 23 and it also recently bought the Bentalls store at the Lakeside shopping centre for £5.25m. It will be re-branded Allders.