Amazon to close first UK fulfilment centre in Bedfordshire after 25 years
Marston Gate site in Bedfordshire will shut, with 500 employees offered transfers to new centre
Amazon has confirmed plans to close its first UK centre, which it opened in 1998.
The online giant said that following a comprehensive collective consultation, it has decided to shut the Marston Gate fulfilment centre at Ridgmont, Brogborough, Bedfordshire, by junction 13 of the M1.
All 500 employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to Amazon’s new building in Northampton, or to other company locations.
Amazon said the Marston Gate site held an “extraordinary place” in its history.
“As our first UK fulfilment centre, nearly a billion items have been delivered from this site, and we’re immensely proud of everything the team has achieved,” it said.
“The new £500 million Northampton building will employ nearly four times as many people and will feature our latest cutting-edge technology and modern facilities.
“Individual consultations are now beginning, and our top priority is continuing to support our people during this process.”
The fulfilment centre in Northampton will employ around 2,000 workers by the end of the year.
It is scheduled to start operations in May and will be home to Amazon’s latest technology, including thousands of robots.
A large Amazon centre in Milton Keynes is unaffected by Wednesday’s decision.