The Earby site of mail order clothing manufacturer Damart has closed down and been moved to the company’s state-of-art warehouse facility in Steeton.

The Earby mailing distribution centre closed last week, but a company representative said the move had been mooted for some time.

Workers at the distribution centre in Earby were responsible for packaging up and sending out the clothing firm’s catalogues and promotional materials.

The move has been made because Damart’s building at Earby needed expensive repairs to bring it up to an appropriate health and safety standard.

The 52 members of staff at the Earby site have been transferred to the Steeton warehouse, which a company representative said offered better working conditions and new machinery to improve the print and mailing process.

The Damart spokesman said there would be no job losses for the Earby workers and the company was providing a coach for employees who could not get to Steeton by car.

“So far the feedback has been really good,” she said. “They all seem to really like it there and the bus is working out OK.”

She said Damart chose not to outsource the work because it wanted to retain its employees.

Earby parish councillor Coun Morris Horsfield voiced his concern about the closure of the Damart site. “I think it will be a big blow to Earby,” he said. “It is bound to affect the shops in town.”