Littlewoods owner rejects Greater Manchester proposals

Shop Direct's warehouse in Chadderton is among those set to close

A last-ditch attempt to persuade Littlewoods owner Shop Direct not to leave Greater Manchester has failed.

Politicians and union leaders met bosses from the online retailer after plans to shut its warehouses in Shaw, Little Hulton and Chadderton emerged.

They expressed disappointment that there was "no willingness to engage" in proposals to stay in the city region.

Shop Direct called the meeting "constructive" and said it took responsibility for workers "seriously".

Union Usdaw said moving operations to the East Midlands was "not a done deal" until consultation was complete.

Shop Direct, which owns Very.co.uk and Littlewoods.com, plans to start a "fully-automated" operation employing 500 people at East Midlands Gateway in Leicestershire in 2021.

'Meaningful consultation'

It said the warehouses in Greater Manchester, where 1,177 Shop Direct employees and 815 agency employees work, will close from mid-2020 onwards, and that redundancies were expected.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, the trade union, local authorities and local MPs met company chiefs on 13 April.

They said in joint statement they "conveyed their disappointment" they were not told about the "bombshell" plans and that alternatives were put forward including a "favourable business package" at Broadway Green, Chadderton.

"It was disappointing that there was no willingness to engage on these proposals," they said.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham chaired a meeting with Shop Direct

The statement said Usdaw would hold Shop Direct to "a meaningful consultation" in which they would have to look at relocating to a nearby site.

"Moving to the Midlands is not a done deal, staff are entitled to a say in the future of the business," it said.

A Shop Direct spokesperson said: "We will continue to work closely with local authorities, community leaders and Usdaw over the next two to three years as we help to prepare them in the best possible way for the transition ahead."

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon has requested an urgent debate in Parliament on the closures.