Jobs of Barclaycard Staff 'Saved'

The jobs of 800 call centre staff at credit card provider Goldfish are now safe, following downsizing at the firm.

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) announced yesterday that it would take over the site of the Cumbernauld office, which previously served customers of the Barclaycard-owned credit card firm. Last month, Barclaycard announced the closure of the call centre, along with the Goldfish head office in London.

This came as a shock to the credit card staff, particularly as Goldfish had been bought out by the bank just three months before in a £35 million deal.

Announcing the deal, Ian Marchant, chief executive of SSE, said: "I am very pleased to have reached this agreement so quickly, and appreciate Barclaycard's and the Scottish government's commitment to speedily securing job opportunities at Cumbernauld."

Speaking to the Scotsman newspaper, Liberal Democrat MSP Hugh O'Donnell added: "I am delighted that SSE has recognised the potential of investing in Cumbernauld. I do, however, remain concerned at the numerous other job losses in central Scotland."

The Goldfish office in London is still scheduled to shut, with its 90 staff to be relocated elsewhere in the Barclaycard workforce.