A WELSH gold company forced to make redundancies has revealed plans to open a further five stores in the coming months.

Clogau Gold, based in Bodelwyddan, hopes to open shops in Ruthin, Wrexham and Chester and say turnover is up on last year - despite the Coronavirus pandemic.

Rather than creating new jobs, Clogau said the plans will protect 12 existing jobs at stores which were previously Mococo.

The deal was outlined before Covid-19.

The staff joining Clogau would have been unemployed by virtue of Mococo closing the stores.

Clogau’s business has grown as a result of online activity rather than shop sales.

Over the last few months, the business has raised £200,000 for NHS charities via customers donations, a raffle and through their new NHS pin badge.

Ben Roberts, managing director at Clogau, said: “It has been a difficult time, but the team has really come together and done a brilliant job, especially in producing so many of the pin badges.”

In June, the Journal reported Clogau had opened a voluntary release scheme for redundancies as it conducted a review of its business.

Redundancies were made through the scheme; the process was designed to reduce costs and for efficiency.

Ben said: “We have looked at the business, how we can adapt and be more efficient, and are focused on the long-term future of Clogau.

“During the pandemic we have maintained strong sales and are 20 per cent ahead of last year, our model of opening new stores has been well-received and online we have continued to perform strongly.

“Our existing sites are trading at the same level as 2019, which reflects the safety measures we have in place enable people to shop freely and with confidence.”

Clogau said they continue to review the business on the whole.

The company has unveiled new outlets in Carmarthen, Bangor, Swansea and Llandudno in recent times.

All its stores – bar London - reopened in June with strict social distancing measures in place, and Ben is confident they will be able to flourish under the ‘new normal’ moving forward.