MORE than 200 staff at a distribution centre in Bridgwater were stunned to be told by bosses that their jobs are at risk as the business is being relocated to Northampton.

The Toolstation e-commerce distribution operation on the Express Business Park in Bridgwater will close by September.

The company says the new site in Pineham, Northampton, "has greater capacity to support the future of the business".

An employee in Bridgwater, who has been with the company for several years, said: "They gathered staff together on Friday (February 3) to say the operation is being closed and transferred to Northampton by September.

"There are over 200 employees here and we're all getting a notice of redundancy.

"It's disgraceful after we were all working during Covid, busting a gut to keep the business going."

The worker, who asked not to be named, added: "Many people have been here for up to 20 years and no one saw it coming.

"There's a feeling of shock, betrayal, disbelief and anger.

"We've been told there will be a phased move of everything to Northampton, so the closure could be earlier than September.

"Bridgwater is absolutely booming on the back of Hinkley Point C, so it's dreadful to see a long, dedicated, loyal staff of 200 lose their jobs."

A spokesperson from Toolstation said the company had reviewed how best to service its e-commerce operations following recent business growth and future ambitions.

They added: "From September this year, Toolstation’s e-commerce distribution operation will relocate from its current location in Bridgwater, Somerset to Pineham in Northampton.

"The new site at Pineham has greater capacity to support the future of the business.

“As a result of this relocation we have announced to our Toolstation colleagues that we are proposing to close the Bridgwater distribution centre in autumn 2023 and therefore have entered into a process of consultation with colleagues based on site.

"We will retain colleagues wherever possible doing everything we can to minimise job losses by looking at alternative opportunities within the group network, redeployment locally and providing a full package of support to colleagues at this time.

"The customer contact centre and office support functions in Bridgwater remain unaffected by this relocation.”