More jump at Boots redundancy

BOOTS is cutting 100 more head office jobs than planned, because it got so many applications for voluntary redundancy.

It wanted to get rid of 900 out of 3,000 staff, but 1,000 will have gone by next week with generous redundancy cheques. Another 500 will go 'eventually'.

Shop staff are being cheered up with a new navy and white uniform. Chief executive Richard Baker said: 'They hated the long, pleated skirt.'

But stores will have to wait two years for a makeover. Baker said: 'People want us to spend hundreds of millions fancying up the shops, but my view is you've got the get the product right first.'

He reckons it will take five years to lick the retailer into shape, warning 'it is a big job'.

Baker dodged questions on whether he may eventually sell BHI, the manufacturing arm that makes Strepsils and Nurofen. Raising money from a property sale and leaseback is also possible.