BT urged to pause Liverpool office closure plans

Liverpool city council has asked BT to pause plans to move 600 jobs out of the city.

The telecom firm said an increase in lease renewal costs at its offices on Old Hall Street means maintaining a presence at the site isn't feasible after the contract expires in March.

The plans would see roles moved to Manchester and Leeds.

One Labour councillor described the move as "redundancy by stealth", and said many workers would be forced to leave the company rather than commute to a new location.

BT said it is continuing to engage with employees, unions and politicians.

Employees affected include BT Business staff, Openreach workers and 999 call handlers, who have been contracted to BT since 2024 as part of a £1.29bn deal with the Home Office to provide mobile services for the government's Emergency Services Network.

Relay services workers who enable deaf people to communicate over the phone, are also affected.

Merseyside politicians protested against the plans outside the Plaza office building this week.

A motion to request the authority urge BT to pause its plans and consider alternatives, such as allowing hybrid working and maintaining a presence in Liverpool, was supported cross party at a full council meeting.

Councillor Peter Norris who proposed the motion said BT had delivered a "devastating blow" to the city.

He added: "We're talking about 601 high quality, specialised jobs gone from our local economy. Let us be clear about what BT is asking of these workers.

"They're telling parents, carers and long-serving staff that if they want to keep their livelihood they must absorb the crushing physical, mental and financial toll of a gruelling daily commute to Manchester or Leeds. For many, that is impossible.

He added: "It is redundancy by stealth."

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Carl Webb from the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said: "Some of these jobs look after the most vulnerable in our societ,. The relay service assists people who are deaf - say they've got a problem with the gas company or whatever - they provide a service where they will communicate on behalf of the customer. It's a vital service".

Liverpool council leader Liam Robinson said he was "deeply concerned" about BT's proposals.

He told how he and politicians including Mayor Steve Rotheram met representatives from BT's senior management this week and: "urged them to pause these plans, engage in meaningful consultation with staff and stakeholders, and fully explore alternative options to safeguard jobs and maintain BT's presence in Liverpool."

A BT spokesperson said: "We can confirm negotiation conversations took place regarding the Plaza lease, this is one consideration as part of BT modernising and optimising our estate to ensure our workplaces are fit for the future and providing the best possible working environments for our people."

The statement added that the company would continue to engage with employees, unions and politicians.

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