Mike Waites
HUNDREDS of jobs are being axed at a supermarket distribution centre in Yorkshire in an area already hard hit by pit closures.
As many as 550 jobs will go following the withdrawal by supermarket chain Somerfield from the DHL Exel supply warehouse in Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Selby.
The supermarket sold its chain of 171 Kwik Save stores last month and announced plans to stop using the distribution centre, which serves the north of England.
The redundancies are the latest blow in the area, which has already been hit by massive job losses following the shutdown of the Selby coalfield two years ago.
Last night council chiefs pledged to help those affected and step up efforts to bring more jobs into the area.
There are fears that whole families could be affected by the job losses at the centre. About half the workforce is said to live locally.
Just 350 workers will remain on the site – but they also face an uncertain future, working under a one-year trial with the new owners of Kwik Save, newly set-up Huddersfield-based firm BTTF.
Selby Council leader Coun Mark Crane said the scale of the job losses was a major blow and there would be a further knock-on impact on businesses in the local economy.
The scale of the redundancies had only become apparent in recent weeks and there had been no time for the council to step in to minimise the losses.
Coun Crane added: "Selby has suffered more than enough job losses in the last two years.
"If you compare the numbers, this is comparable to a pit closure. The council's economic development unit is already working really hard on attracting new businesses into the Sherburn area at the enterprise park and we are hoping that we will get new jobs there."
A council rapid reaction team was being set up to help redundant staff in partnership with local job centres, in line with a similar exercise following the coalfield closures, he said.
"We will work together to do whatever we can at what is a very difficult time," he added.
Staff face a 90-day consultation period while talks are under way between DHL Exel and unions. Both sides were unavailable for comment last night.
Meanwhile a greetings card firm has gone into administration with the loss of 105 jobs, it was announced yesterday.
Distinctive Cards Ltd, which will cease trading this morning, blamed the rise of a number of new card retailers selling highly discounted products.
The collapse of the company, based in Bury, Lancashire, has led to the closure of 18 stores, mainly across the north of England and Scotland.
Insolvency management group Begbies Traynor has been appointed to oversee the winding up of the firm.
A statement released on behalf of the card company said: "The business has suffered from severe competition on the high street and was unable to compete with the emergence of new card retailers who are offering highly discounted cards."
David Appleby of Begbies Traynor said: "Its always a great shame when a business fails, especially when supported by the director, but unfortunately he was unable to fund further losses.
"There are however a number of parties showing an interest."