UK Mail's Brighouse depot to close with 60 jobs set to go

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Customers of independent parcels delivery service UK Mail have been told that its Brighouse depot is to close on August 29

Scores of jobs are to go with the closure of a parcels depot in Brighouse.

The UK Mail depot at Brookfoot Business Park will close on August 29 – affecting about 60 workers.

The depot’s 41 warehouse and office staff have been given three months’ notice of redundancy and consultations are under way.

It is understood that a number of the staff have been interviewed for posts at UK Mail depots in Gildersome, Leeds and Middleton, Greater Manchester, while others are already finding positions with other companies.

The depot’s drivers, who number about 20 and are all self-employed, have been offered the chance to transfer to Leeds or Middleton – although a source who asked not to be named, said some drivers would not find it financially viable.

Letters have been sent to notify all customers of the closure, which comes after UK Mail nationally decided not to renew its agreement with the depot.

The depot, which is run as a franchise and has been in operation for more than 25 years, covers Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield postcode areas and delivers a wide range of items – from mobile phones to gardening products and household furniture.

A spokeswoman at Brighouse said she could not comment on the decision.

Franchise owner Barry Andrews started the business at a 1,000sq ft site at Bailiff Bridge before moving to bigger premises at Brookfoot. The depot has delivered many thousands of consignments to destinations in the UK and worldwide.

UK Mail Group – a major rival to the recently-privatised Royal Mail – is billed as the UK’s largest independent parcels, mail and logistics services company with a national network of more than 50 sites and 3,500 vehicles.

It delivers parcels, letters and pallets for customers including O2, TalkTalk and model kits manufacturer Hornby.

A trading update last month showed that Birmingham-based UK Mail Group increased revenues by 2.5% during the first quarter of its financial year while its parcels business saw a 10% rise in volumes – partly resulting from an increase in home deliveries due to online shopping.

Full year results announced in May showed group revenues up by 7% to £508.5m with mail revenues 1.5% higher at £245.3m and parcels revenues 16.2% ahead at £219.9m. Pre-tax profits rose by 28.2% to £22.8m.