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Fifty jobs lost after takeover
Page 18
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NEARLY 50 DRIVERS are losing their jobs in a shake-up of catalogue shopping group Shop Direct.
The company, whose brands include Kays and Great Universal, is closing its Leeds distribution centre just weeks after the government approved its takeover by March UK.
March is controlled by the Barclay family, who also control the Littlewoods' catalogue shopping business.
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, which represents most of the 800 employees affected by the shake-up, says it is alarmed at the timing of the announcement.
But Maurice Britton, regional industrial organiser for the Transport & General Workers Union which represents the drivers, says: "I think it was probably on the cards before the Barclay brothers bought it." However, he adds. there should have been more consultation about whether at least part of the Leeds operation could have been kept open.
Shop Direct also has distribution centres at Bolton, Droitwich, Eccles, Oldham, Wigan and Worcester.
The company says the Leeds centre is due to close later this year, along with the company's returns depot in Worcester.
It says rationalisation will reduce over-capacity and will involve switching existing business volumes to other warehouse sites.