More jobs to go at catalogue firm

Before job cuts in January, Grattan employed 2,500 people in Bradford

Mail order firm Grattan has announced it plans to axe a further 160 jobs.

The Bradford-based firm said that the jobs would go from its distribution centre in Listerhills which currently employs 700 workers.

The move follows a decision to start sourcing all clothing and fashion products from Germany.

In January, Freeman Grattan Holdings (FGH) announced that the Bradford call centre would be closed with the loss of 800 jobs.

Changing shopping habits

On the most recent job cuts, a spokesman for the firm said: "The decision to source all fashion and clothing from Germany has resulted in the closure of the London office.

"It has been announced to staff in Bradford that a period of consultation has been launched to consider the impact of this decision on the Listerhills distribution centre."

He added: "No redundancy notices have been issued, and consultations are being held about a potential reduction of 160 posts from a total workforce at Listerhills of 700."

At the start of 2009 the company, which is owned by the Germany-based Otto Group, announced that 1,000 jobs in total would go from Bradford in an attempt to keep the company afloat as the habits of shoppers change.

At the time of the announcement FGH employed 3,800 workers in the UK, with 2,500 of them based in Bradford.