Trowbridge has been dealt a major blow with the loss of more than 80 jobs as the Consortium distribution centre finally closed its doors.

In 2018, its parent company RM Resources announced plans to axe 70 of the 156 jobs at the centre in Canal Road by May 2019 and the remainder by May 2021.

The company disclosed plans to centralise its five UK distribution centres into one operation in Nottinghamshire as part of a major restructuring.

The company has now completely closed the Consortium distribution centre, with the remaining 86 jobs being lost in Trowbridge.

Councillor Jo Trigg, who worked for the Consortium for 30 years, took redundancy in March 2018 as Head of Customer Proposition Development.

“It is always very sad to see a business leave the town but things change and move on.

“I started in the warehouse and worked there for 30 years, before taking redundancy.

“It was one of those organisations that offered people huge opportunities for development. For a long time, it was a very happy team.

“The key thing as a town is to get other employers to see the opportunities that are here.”

RM Resources is part of RM plc, an Abingdon-based leading supplier of technology and resources to the education sector, supporting schools, teachers and pupils across the globe.

It consists of two established brands TTS and Consortium – the latter celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

RM Resources’ managing director Monique Louis said last year: "We are genuinely excited to be at our new home for RM Resources which sees us bringing together our Consortium and TTS brands as one team.

"The new Hucknall headquarters is a great, fit-for-purpose space that better serves our longer-term business needs and objectives, and provides bright, contemporary working spaces which enable greater collaboration and new ways of working for our existing and future colleagues.”

The departments at the Consortium in Trowbridge affected by the closure covered procurement, marketing and digital, IT and administration.

They included the closure of the Trowbridge distribution centre in Canal Road and offices in nearby Hammond Way.

RM Resources said that up to 60 new jobs would be created at its new 195,840 square feet distribution centre in Hucknall.

The staff in Trowbridge were given the opportunity to apply for some of the jobs in Hucknall with relocation packages available to those successful.