Fifty face redundancy as marketing firm shuts

More than 50 jobs are at risk at an internet marketing company that is closing.

Staff at Atlas SEO, based at the Union Building on Rose Lane in Norwich, were told at a meeting on Thursday.

The closure comes less than two years since the company was acquired by Malta-based Gentoo Media for a reported £2.71m.

Jonas Warrer, chief executive officer of Gentoo Media, said: "We can confirm that we have recently informed employees in Norwich that due to the financial pressures faced by the UK subsidiary we have proposed the closure of our physical office in Norwich and have entered into a collective redundancy consultation process."

Atlas SEO was established in January 2020 and provides "digital marketing, display advertising, social media management, online reputation management and video content production".

In a letter to employees seen by the BBC, Warrer said the company had "fought to stabilise the business but the turnaround has simply not happened fast enough" and the firm had taken the "difficult" decision to close its office.

"The company is under severe financial pressure," he added.

Warrer said the company was being wound down and a "collective redundancy" process was under way.

The BBC understands more than 50 people are employed at the site.

One worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "We were called to an urgent meeting without notice.

"Employees were told in a few short sentences the Norwich office would be closing and everyone at the company is up for redundancy."

"There were many people in tears, especially the younger female employees, who were shocked at the sudden announcement. Everyone was told they could go straight home and the chief executive opened a bar tab at Rooftop Gardens [a bar on the top floor] which had reached £3,000 by lunchtime".

The company said lunches and beverages were consumed at the Rooftop Gardens by employees, but they did not want to confirm who picked up the tab and said their focus was on the employees and the process ahead.

Warrer said while all roles were considered at risk, no final decisions had been made and a consultation process was ongoing.

"We are actively exploring alternatives during this process," he added.

"We recognise the uncertainty this creates for colleagues and our priority remains to engage openly and fairly with employees while we work through the consultation."

He said the company was not able to comment further or confirm final numbers until the process had concluded.

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