Co-op to close 14 branches

This Is Money13 April 2012

THE closure of the Newcastle office of the insurance arm of the Co-op was confirmed by the company today.

The Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) will close 14 offices including Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Plymouth, Sutton and Maidstone and was proposing the closure of sites in Watford, Chorley, Leeds, Middleton in Manchester, Bristol, Southampton and Glasgow.

The closures are said to mean 170 job losses, but CIS said these will be balanced by the creation of new posts in the remaining offices in Manchester, Bury St Edmonds, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham and Rugby.

Amicus expressed disappointment over the closures and said up to 650 staff would be affected.

Regional officer Hugh Jones Glass said: 'We will be unstinting in our efforts to redeploy as many people as possible and to equip them with modern skills in the new CIS.

'These changes will be difficult for our members, but they know that CIS has to modernise to stay ahead of a cut-throat market.'

CIS chief executive Paul Hewitt, said: 'The decision taken to close our smaller offices is a reflection on the model we require going forwards for larger, more specialist teams.

'It certainly does not reflect the work undertaken in these areas, which we know has been of a high standard.

'We certainly hope that a large number of staff will redeploy to the new centres and be a part of a world-class claims operation in the future.'

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