Jobs at risk as Co-op goes

Jobs were in doubt today after Co-op announced it planned to move out of its West Midland headquarters.

Seventy workers at the Midcounties Co-operative's Walsall offices in Hatherton Road, Hatherton Street and Wolverhampton Street will be offered posts at a new "centralised" base in Leamington Spa.

Bosses said they would be able to claim transport and relocation expenses, while shuttle buses will be laid on to take employees to and from the offices 33 miles away.

Workers based at the Co-op's existing offices in Oxford will also be moved.

But despite the departure from Walsall of departments including personnel, finance and IT, the company today insisted it would be retaining a "significant presence" in the town, with around 100 staff remaining.

Bosses refused to say whether these jobs would be office-based or in existing shops. They also would not comment on what would happen to those workers who did not want to move.

In a statement, however, they said a mystery new "significant development" would soon be announced that would further boost the presence in the Black Country.

The first Co-op store opened in Walsall in 1866 along with dozens of other stores. In 2005 the two main Co-ops agreed to merge to create The Midcounties Co-operative. Today it includes around 150 food stores.