Barclays have announced their decision to close a major processing centre which will result in the loss of approximately 200 jobs in Leeds. 

Staff at Millshaw Court office have been informed that it will be permanently closed by the end of the year, when the current lease is up. According to Barclays, it was the landlord’s decision to redevelop the site which has resulted in their closure. Barclays have released a statement saying:

“Today’s announcement impacts colleagues at the Millshaw site and is part of a UK wide announcement which focuses on bringing teams together at our key campus sites across the UK. In order to drive collaboration, Barclays is moving teams closer together at our UK sites in Glasgow, Greater Manchester and Northampton; where we are investing in new campuses and office space. This will enable us to innovate at pace for the customers and clients we serve. We will do everything we can to support colleagues impacted by the changes announced today, working closely with Unite.”

270 employees will be relocated to Manchester and Sunderland, with another 100 employees being relocated within Leeds. 

According to the Unite Union, it will be “devastating for workers and the local community”. 

Whether the other 700 staff members who work in the Complex are at risk of losing their jobs is unknown at this time.

The National Office of Unite Union Dominic Hook stated that:

“The sheer scale of the job cuts announced today by Barclays is alarming. The decision to close the major Barclays site in Leeds will be devastating for the workforce and the local community.This is clearly a time of immense uncertainty and worry for the workforce. The union is working with Barclays to put into place every possible remedy to support the staff in finding suitable alternative employment and offering advice and support to assist colleagues, including redeployment wherever possible.”

Unite has also made claims saying that hundreds more will be affected by the relocation. 

Hook added: “To add to the misery today within Barclays, the news of a further 345 staff cuts in over 20 locations is deeply troubling”.  He also said that 157 of these jobs were in Coventry. 

However, Barclays has said that only 50 jobs will be lost, with most of the workforce being relocated to Glasgow, Greater Manchester and Northampton.

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