180 jobs to go at Shop Direct in Newtown

Up to 180 jobs are to be axed at a Mid Wales call centre by the end of January, staff said today. Staff at Shop Direct in Newtown have been told the doors will close on January 28.

Staff at he catalogue company were told this year that they were among 1,500 of the workforce nationwide who would lose their jobs when four call centres close.

It is part of major cuts by the firm which runs Littlewoods, Marshall Ward and Very amongst others.

The growth in on-line shopping has been blamed for the lack of work.

One member of staff, who did not wish to be named, said staff had been told many would be told to leave by Christmas, while others were being kept on until the January.

She said: "Although this has been hanging over our heads all year, we have been told the date of closure and all staff will be out by the end of January.

"Some will be gone before Christmas, while others are being kept on until January 28 when it closes for good.

"It has been a good company to work for — it is flexible to allow so many mothers to work around their children's nursery and schooling and I can't think of anywhere else in town like it.

"There's just no jobs here."

Mark Newton-Jones, Shop Direct Chief Executive, said: "We recognise that this is a very difficult time for those teams affected by the proposed contact centre closures."

When the news of the closure first broke earlier this year, then Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik and current MP Glyn Davies urged the company to think again.