BCA shuts down Chipping Warden website, 200 jobs at stake

Staff on the Chipping Warden department of Constellation Automotive-owned remarketing big British Automobile Auctions (BCA) have been left reeling after the enterprise introduced will probably be closing the positioning, with round 200 employees set to lose their jobs.

Employees have been knowledgeable of the surprising choice late final month with BCA stating that operations might be relocated to current services in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

Final yr, BCA considerably expanded its Thurleigh facility, already one among Europe’s largest mixed remarketing, logistics, defleet and refurbishment centres which is strategically positioned simply off the A6 north of Bedford.

The growth elevated the power’s footprint to over 200 acres, including arduous standing for a further 5,000 autos and increasing workshop capability for extra technical and inspection providers, in addition to a full vary of remarketing actions. The growth created over 100 new jobs to help the elevated car volumes managed on the website.

The earlier yr, BCA entered into session with employees over enterprise restructure plans that contain the closure of its car preparation centre closure at Higher Heyford earlier than closing the positioning on the finish of that March as a part of a transfer which noticed providers from the power moved to Corby. It mentioned on the time that the Corby facility, which was then a retail preparation operation, could be repurposed to ship the providers required.

That information got here six months after it emerged that the enterprise was consulting employees at its Derby, Peterborough and Sandwich services forward of a deliberate restructure following a overview of the “scale and functionality” of its UK operations.

Staff at the Chipping Walden facility which was offered in 2016 by Ambrosetti have been given a 45-day session interval to arrange for the closure, with the ultimate working day scheduled for March 14.

Many workers have expressed shock and frustration on the abrupt announcement, with one employee telling the Banbury Guardian: “We had no discover. The announcement about about 200 redundancies and the centre relocating to Bedford simply got here utterly out of the blue. Simply earlier than Christmas, we have been being advised to extend manufacturing, and we have been smashing out extra automobiles than regular – that is the thanks we get!”

The corporate, which calls itself “Britain’s largest used car enterprise”, has justified the closure as a part of a strategic shift.

A spokesperson acknowledged: “BCA confirmed that the Chipping Warden Remarketing Centre is ready to relocate to different websites it operates in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire and has opened session with employees. Like all companies, BCA must evolve its operational base consistent with its progress journey and the altering exterior surroundings and wishes of our prospects to make sure we proceed to offer market-leading service and help.”