THERE was good and bad news on the jobs front for York today, as Woolworths staff came to terms with the closure of their Monks Cross store - and a massive warehouse expansion in the west of the city safeguarded 45 jobs, with 55 new ones to come.

John Radigan, of the shopworkers union USDAW, criticised Woolworths chiefs for telling the 45 employees at the Monks Cross store about its closure yesterday - just 18 days ahead of its last day's trading on Easter Saturday (March 26), before the building is taken over by a Marks & Spencer clothing store.

He said: "It was clear that the management had made its decision and the staff were being presented with a fait accompli. It makes the whole consultation process meaningless."

Nicola Lander, head of Woolworths corporate communications, said the decision to close the store was a matter of "great regret".

She blamed a "stinging rent review" just under a year ago.

But a management leaflet issued to employees yesterday said the company had been "approached by our landlord for the surrender of our lease".

Ms Lander said: "The wording of that was correct. But the actual details and extent of the agreement are confidential."

The Marks & Spencer will be only the third of its kind in the UK when it opens on the 14,000 sq site later this year.

A company spokeswoman said: "We have not yet calculated how many jobs it will bring, but it will be substantial."

Meanwhile, a massive new warehouse to serve the rapidly-expanding York-based Pavers shoe empire will safeguard 45 jobs and create 55 new ones for the city.

City of York Council has given the go-ahead for the £3 million project to build a new 40,000 sq ft building just 200 yards from the company's existing distribution centre on the Northminster Business Park in Poppleton.

The Paver family had seriously considered looking outside the city for a bigger centre to process orders from their 50 shoe shops in Great Britain, which between them employ 350 people.

Updated: 10:19 Wednesday, March 09, 2005