WORKERS at the Wellington bed maker Relyon are back on short-time working – and the World Cup is partly to blame.

Warning of more hard times ahead for the company, managing director Andrew Murdoch said in a statement yesterday that short time working was due to a slow-down in orders.

While this was not unusual during the summer months it had been exacerbated by the very good weather and the FIFA World Cup Tournament keeping shoppers away from retail parks.

He said: "It is with reluctance some departments will go on short time working.

"Over the next few weeks Relyon will experience extremely difficult trading conditions, but we are very well placed to capitalise on the expected upturn from September onwards with the exciting new range of beds presented to our customers in the spring."

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