Littlewoods owner puts 2,000 jobs at risk

ONLINE retailer Littlewoods owner Shop Direct announced that it will close three warehouses which will put almost 2,000 jobs at risk.

The owner of Very.co.uk and Littlewoods.com stated it would be closing a few of its sites. Derek Harding, Shop Direct interim chief executive, said it was a “tough day for the business”.

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

The firm, which also owns fashion portal Very Exclusive, is owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay, the billionaire brothers who also own the Daily Telegraph newspaper titles.

Shop Direct said it would close the warehouses from mid-2020 onwards and start operating in the East Midlands in 2021. The site will be fully automated, which Shop Direct said would allow it to respond more quickly to changing consumer demand.

The move puts the jobs of 1,177 Shop Direct employees and 815 agency workers in doubt.