XPO Logistics announced yesterday morning at 8.00 a.m. that House of Fraser will be closing down, not only 31 of their stores but also, as a result, the Distribution Warehouse which is run by XPO on their behalf in Milton Keynes.

The plan is to move the work currently undertaken in Milton Keynes to the other site, run by XPO in Wellingborough, which also handles a mix of stores goods and internet stock.

There are approximately 325 personnel directly employed on site, as well as at least a 100 agency workers.

Richard Owen, Regional Organiser for GMB said:

"Again, with no warning, a body blow has been delivered to Milton Keynes. More high quality, reasonably well-paid jobs have gone down the pan.

"This has come as a complete shock to all concerned, and the GMB have been left with the impression that this part of House of Fraser’s plan has not really been thought out in any detail, and has been dropped on the site almost as an afterthought, as it was not mentioned in the HOF press release at all, and XPO did not send out any statement to the media.

"We are determined that every last drop of effort will be spent, trying to save these jobs, and if we cannot, to ensure that XPO honours their expressed wish to find alternative employment for our members."

"I know that HOF are struggling to survive as a business, and I pray that their rescue plan will save the business, but questions certainly remain in my mind about the wisdom, and necessity to shut down this depot, whose primary purpose is to serve the e-commerce side of the business, and to which HOF only recently returned the Stores goods-in function, (at considerable expense)."

"Together with the 6,000 jobs now in jeopardy from the store closures, this has been a terrible day for employment, both regionally, and nationally."

"This is a proposal, at the moment, and no jobs will be lost until early next year.

"GMB remains committed to saving as many livelihoods as humanly possible.