More than 200 staff at a distribution centre in Bridgwater havew been left shocked after being told by bosses that their jobs are at risk as the business is relocating to Northampton.
The Toolstation e-commerce distribution operation on the Express Business Park in Bridgwater will close by September, says the firm.
The company explains that the new site in Pineham, Northampton, “has greater capacity to support the future of the business.”
Several employers in the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area are among those affacted.
One staff member said: “It’s disgraceful after we were all working during Covid, busting a gut to keep the business going. Many people have been here for up to 20 years and no-one saw it coming.”
A Toolstation spokesperson says the company had reviewed how best to service its e-commerce operations amid business growth. They add: “From September this year, Toolstation’s e-commerce distribution operation will relocate from its current location in Bridgwater, Somerset to Pineham in Northampton.”
“The new site at Pineham has greater capacity to support the future of the business.”
“As a result of this relocation we have announced to our Toolstation colleagues that we are proposing to close the Bridgwater distribution centre in autumn 2023 and therefore have entered into a process of consultation with colleagues based on site.”
“We will retain colleagues wherever possible doing everything we can to minimise job losses by looking at alternative opportunities within the group network, redeployment locally and providing a full package of support to colleagues at this time.”
“The customer contact centre and office support functions in Bridgwater remain unaffected by this relocation.”
