The Mike Ashley-owned Evans Cycles is cutting 300 jobs and moving the remainder of its staff to zero-hours contracts in a bid to cut costs.

More than 300 jobs are expected to be cut at Frasers Group subsidiary Evans Cycles despite the boom in cycling sales during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a document sent to Evans staff and seen by The Guardian, Frasers Group plans to cut the number of jobs across the cycling chain to 475, down from the 813 listed on the latest Companies House filings. 

The document detailed that store managers’ weekly hours would increase from 40 to 45, but all remaining staff would be switched from fixed-hour contracts, which typically guarantee a minimum of eight hours’ work per week, to ‘casual worker agreements’ – Frasers’ term for zero-hours contracts.

The switch to zero hours will bring Evans Cycles in line with other Frasers chains Sports Direct and Flannels.

A note to Evans Cycles staff said: “We cannot rely on old ways of running our business and we must adapt. These changes will look to address the cost of sales ratio in our stores and ensure that we are able to be more flexible with our cost base out of peak trading and during difficult trading periods.”

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