Breaking News: Over 100 Jobs axed at Woolworths

Staff told to expect the worst as Woolworths has gones into administration

Lorry drivers who are contracted to Woolworths have been told they have 30 days before being shown the door.

Wincanton transport, which employs hundreds of lorry drivers who work at Woolworths' Rochdale depots, has announced it can no longer support its staff because of the recent Woolworths crisis, and will be shedding some unlucky drivers - just three days after Christmas.

Agency workers throughout the Castleton location have also just lost their jobs. The exact number is unknown, but it is estimated that, along with the 77 lorry drivers, well over 100 members of staff will be left jobless - just three days after Christmas.

Woolworths announced last week it had gone into administration, leaving almost 500 Rochdale jobs in danger.

An anonymous member of staff said: “We have to be gone by 28 December.”

A spokeswoman from Wincanton said: "Wincanton announced on Friday 28 November that it is entering into a formal redundancy period consultation with employees who are employed on transport operations carried out on behalf of Woolworths.

"Wincanton provides logistics support to Woolworths through transport operations and its main location is in Castleton. 77 employees are based at Castleton, the majority of whom are drivers."

"Sadly, we anticipate that there are likely to be redundancies across the operation and, subject to full consultation with the affected employees and their Trade Unions, this may result in a redundancy situation for some or all of our employees at the affected sites.

"Should this redundancy situation arise, Wincanton will use every effort to redeploy as many employees as possible across its network."

Woolworths stores have stopped accepting rent payments.

The store has informed Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) that, until “further notice”, the service will cease to exist.

A spokesperson from RBH said: “We would like to reassure tenants that all rents already paid through the Woolworths network will be honoured and credited to your rent account in full and on time”.

Payments continue to be accepted at all of the Allpay network’s other locations in the borough – Post Offices and Paypoint.