Forfar’s economy has suffered a hammer blow as the year begins with the confirmation of a call centre’s closure and the loss of 20 jobs.
The Universal Group operation at St James Road was the first call centre in Angus when it set up in a former print works a decade ago and its demise was last night described as devastating for the town and the staff involved.
The call centre staff had been dealing with business for primarily Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) and 5G Communications, formerly Universal Telecom.
While the company has not confirmed the reasoning behind the decision, a senior figure said they had not expected the axe to fall on Forfar.
“We had no plans to cease trading in the town. It was a situation forced on us,” sales manager Phil Holland told The Courier.
“Our plans were not to leave the locality and devastated is the word I would use for the staff affected. They were exceptional people.”
Universal brought around 60 jobs to the town when it set up in 2000. Its staff sold gas and electricity over the phone.Local linksThe firm established a local link through Forfar Athletic as the club’s shirt sponsor for five years and also ran a training centre at Kinnettles House.
“At this moment we have no operations in the Angus area,” added Mr Holland. “I will miss the place, miss the town and miss the people. I’m devastated for the workforce.”
Local councillors said the announcement was a dreadful start to the year for the firm’s staff and their families.
Councillor Colin Brown said, “I heard murmurs over the holiday period and this is not good news for the town. The impact of 20 jobs being lost in Forfar is much greater than in somewhere like Dundee.
“It is very disappointing that this is the outcome for the Forfar centre and the end of the first call centre in Angus.
“Over the time they have been here, Universal have become part of the community and through their involvement with the like of Forfar Athletic they have become associated with the town. I think Universal have added to Forfar and it really saddens me that we have now lost a relatively young company at this time.”
Councillor Glennis Middleton said, “It is desperately sad that this firm’s association with Forfar has apparently finished, and tragic for the 19 people involved.
“I had heard concerns, but in the current financial climate you do hear rumblings about companies facing difficulties and you just hope that things will turn around for them. This is now 19 families facing an unemployment situation in very difficult conditions and my heart goes out to them.”
“In one respect, however, it is perhaps a good thing that Angus has not jumped on the call centre bandwagon in the way other areas have.
“Many other areas have really significant call centre operations with huge numbers of people working in them, and in these difficult trading conditions it is going to be extremely difficult for that sector.
“Our local companies are doing their very best to keep going and it is a worry whether or not they can keep trading through, however long this situation goes on for.”