Grant Shapps has said he is shocked by Ocado's decision to close its Hatfield distribution centre, putting 2,300 jobs at risk.
The group said it will close the site - which accounts for about a fifth of its 400,000 customer orders each week - later this year, with orders moved to a new state-of-the-art robotic warehouse in Luton.
Ocado Retail – run as a joint venture with Marks & Spencer – has now started consultation with the 2,300 workers, and aims to offer jobs to as many as possible at nearby sites.
Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps admitted he was left shocked by the decision to close the warehouse - the company's oldest facility - and pledged to support workers impacted by the closure.
READ MORE: 2,300 staff affected by Ocado plan to shut oldest warehouse
"Ocado has been an important employer in the area for many years, so I am shocked at today’s news," he said.
"I will be speaking to the company today to better understand their next steps.
"I am encouraged by Ocado’s expectation of retaining a large proportion of Hatfield staff within their wider network and with the global headquarters remaining in Hatfield.
"But I will be working with the company and constituents to ensure impacted employees have the support they need to stay at Ocado or find new work locally."
Labour parliamentary candidate for Welwyn Hatfield, Andrew Lewin, described the news as devastating, calling on Ocado to change their decision and "protect every single job".
"It is devastating news that Ocado plans to close its oldest warehouse in Hatfield and put 2,300 jobs at risk," he said.
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"Ocado has been an employer here for 20 years and so much of its growth and success is built on the role played by people from Hatfield. They deserve so much better than this.
"Ocado need to revisit this decision and protect every single job. As the Labour candidate for Welwyn Hatfield, I'll be writing to them and doing all I can to stand up for local workers."
Ocado was built on the Hatfield Business Park created following the closure of the British Aerospace factory on that same site.
Ocado Group chief executive Tim Steiner said: "As the online grocery channel grows, our new, enhanced fulfilment centres and technologies will drive a step change in customer experience and efficiency.
"With this capacity coming online, now is the right time for us to halt operations at our oldest facility at Hatfield and consider our future options for the site."
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