Design House sheds four staff

Four people have been made redundant from Design House as the consultancy restructures its retail and leisure offer.

The redundancies, which came after the group’s year end, were senior group account director Denise Peacock, a junior designer, a researcher and a secretary.

These redundancies are a shedding of administrative roles, says consultancy managing director John Larkin. “We have taken out the middle layer… [and are] changing the balance from ground crew to flying crew,” he adds. He is not expecting any more redundancies.

This time last year the consultancy laid off six people including one designer as “a preventative measure”, said Larkin (DW 8 December 1995).

Meanwhile, the appointment of a print and identity creative director, left vacant by Peter Rae in July, will now be made in the new year, says Larkin. “That person will be a key player in the second generation,” he adds.

Design House’s new interiors, identity and point-of-sale material for branches of insurance company Swinton is currently being piloted in Preston and Macclesfield. If successful the new concept will be extended into the rest of the 400-strong estate.