‘Tough day’ as Shop Direct announces plans to close three North West sites

Liverpool-headquartered online retailer Shop Direct has revealed plans to shut three of its facilities in Greater Manchester – a move that will impact close to 2,000 jobs.

Redundancies are expected to result from the closure of the firm’s fulfilment centres in Salford, Chadderton and Shaw.

Shop Direct will start its exit from the three sites from mid 2020.

The decision came after an 18-month review found that a lack of space, limited accessibility and restrictions with layout and loading made the facilities unsuitable for Shop Direct’s future operational ambitions.

Alongside the announcement, the company confirmed plans for a new distribution centre in the East Midlands that will be operational by 2021.

Derek Harding, the interim group CEO of Shop Direct, said the company is announcing its intentions now to give employees a chance to prepare for the change.

He commented: “This is a tough day for the business and we know how difficult this news will be to hear for our teams in Shaw, Little Hulton and Raven.

“However, these proposals are necessary for our future and to enable us to continue to grow and meet rising customer expectations.”

He added: “We are working alongside Usdaw, our recognised trade union, and will listen carefully to what they have to say. We’ll also work closely with local authorities and community leaders to make sure this process is carried out as fairly and sensitively as possible for our colleagues.”

Speaking further, Mr Harding said: “We’re announcing this now to give our colleagues the best possible opportunity to prepare for the change.

“Over the next two to three years, we’ll be partnering with local and national organisations to provide our colleagues with tailored advice and training, including career skills, access to financial planning and vocational courses to support re-training. It’s also our plan to offer apprenticeships in in-demand skills across our existing operational sites.

“Our priority is to provide a fair outcome for our team and we’ll do everything we can to support colleagues through this transition.”