Jobs fear as M&S plans Long Eaton distribution centre closure

DHL employs 330 staff at the centre

More than 300 jobs are at risk after Marks and Spencer announced it plans to close a distribution centre in Derbyshire.

The company said its Long Eaton facility would shut as part of a reorganisation of its supply chain.

The centre is run by logistics firm DHL, which said it would talk to 330 staff about possible redeployment.

Neither firm has said how many jobs could be lost in the closure, scheduled for spring 2021.

Job talks

The move comes after M&S announced on Wednesday plans to close its Thorncliffe distribution centre in Sheffield in summer 2021, with up to 250 jobs at risk.

The firm said: "Moving the operations [at Long Eaton and Sheffield] is not a decision we've taken lightly but it's an important change to help us best serve our customers."

A DHL spokesperson said: "Our affected warehouse staff have been informed and will shortly enter into consultation with the company and union representatives to discuss its implications and their options, including the possibility of redeploying to other DHL operations locally."

Usdaw's area organiser Ed Leach said the planned closure was "a shock and devastating news for staff".

• Latest news and stories from the East Midlands

The decision comes seven years after M&S opened a 900,000 sq ft distribution centre in Castle Donington, about five miles away from the Long Eaton centre.

The East Midlands has welcomed a high number of distribution centres in recent years due to its central location.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].