17 jobs at risk at Norfolk drinks firm

Seventeen jobs at a north Norfolk depot are set to be axed as a national drinks wholesale slims down in the recession.

Two thirds of the 25-strong workforce at WaverleyTBS at Cromer face redundancy under proposed changes, which could the company shed 200 of its 1,300 staff nationwide.

The shake-up mainly affects the sales force and support services, which would be centralised on Tyneside, and see depots like Cromer reduced to a transit point - a stockless location where loads are switched between lorries.

It comes as the hospitality industry battles against the economic downturn, and just six months after a further 60 jobs were cut at the company in a revamp of its independent free trade and national account sales forces.

Managing director Jonathan Townsend said: “It is well documented that the drinks sector continues to face some considerable challenges and our business has to evolve to remain sustainable and competitive.

“These have been difficult decisions to make and none of them have been entered into lightly. The outcome of the review in no way reflects on the performance of affected colleagues who have done an excellent job over the last few years in a very challenging market.”

Waverley TBS dates back to a 2003 merger of Waverley, the wholesale side of Scottish and Newcastle, and The Beer Seller, its equivalent with Bulmers.

The Cromer depot dates back to the 1960s, when it was built to replace a wine merchants and bottling plant at the Old Town Hall run by Rusts, an historic family firm dating back to 1780 which grew from a small shop selling gunpowder and textiles to a department store with a fleet of vans.

Current staff were told of the planned cuts on Friday and now face a 30-day consultation period. The company said every effort would be made to seek alternative employment for those affected, including outplacement support, re-training and/or redeployment where suitable alternative employment exists.

A spokesman said it would be “business as usual” for customers, except that when the changes happened they would have to call a different location.