Fears as call centre to close

EMPLOYEE SAYS 'SOME STAFF WILL HAVE TO LEAVE'

- By WESLEY HOLMES

A BANKING call centre which once employed more than 800 people in Skelmersdale is closing after half a century.

The Co-Operative Bank offices will move out of its historic home of Delf House next year, with staff being either transferred to other offices or instructed to work from home.

The bank said it would work closely with staff to “ensure they are supported through this transition”. But one disgruntled employee told the ECHO: “There are people who have given their working life to the bank, even 30+ years, who will now simply have to leave because homeworking is not suitable for them.”

The Co-Operative Bank's administration and call centre has operated from Delf House on Southway since 1976, and it was historically Skelmersdale’s largest employer. In 1980, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Denis Healey, unveiled the Co-Operative Bank Customer Services Bureau.