BT confirm they'll leave Aberdeen base by November
After a staff consultation the telecom giant have told local politicians they will be leaving the city, putting more than 100 jobs in jeopardy.
BT will leave their offices in Aberdeen as of November.
The communications firm had announced earlier this year they were considering the option, mostly due to high costs of leasing New Telecom house - their base on College Street - as they only occupy a small portion of the building.
Local politicians, across party lines have pleaded with the telecom giant to stay, but they've revealed today that will not be happening - and it's unlikely many jobs will be saved, even short term.
In a letter to Aberdeenshire MP, Andrew Bowie, a spokesperson said:
"This decision has not been reached lightly and we realise that this will be disappointing news for affected colleagues"
"We are still working with a smaller group of colleagues to find a reasonable solution. In particular, we have carefully considered the opportunity for colleagues to work from home permanently. Unfortunately, we do not believe that this is a sustainable long-term option. In the future, we expect colleagues will be required to work in a flexible manner between home and an office environment."
"The decision taken not to renew the lease on New Telecom House means we will be exiting the building by 20 November 2020. This timeframe is required to allow BT sufficient time to remove fixtures and fittings prior to returning the building to the landlord before the end of the lease."
Reacting to the news, North East MSP Liam Kerr said:
"This is another hammer blow for Aberdeen.
"The staff at New Telecom House deserve better.
"Centralisation may save BT money but I believe more should have been done to keep these jobs local.
"The company must deliver a positive outcome for team members unable to suddenly move to Dundee, through no fault of their own."