Hundreds of jobs are to be axed at Bradford mail order giant Grattan after a downturn in orders.

The firm says 250 jobs will have to go and it will be freezing recruitment in a bid to reduce costs.

The jobs will be lost across the board but a company spokesman stressed efforts would be made to redeploy as many people as possible in the hope that the figure would be reduced.

The company, which employs 5,000 workers, informed managers and staff today and is now going into a 90-day consultation period with workers and the unions.

Grattan last announced job losses in April, 1998 when it said 75 managerial and supervisory staff would have to go.

Grattan director Norman Finnigen stressed that the Tesco Direct business, where 350 people will eventually be employed, was not affected by the decision to cut jobs in the main Grattan business. Tesco Direct is a joint venture with the supermarket giant to send specialist catalogues to its Clubcard holders.

He said: "The tough trading conditions affecting Grattan and most other retailers have forced us to make this very difficult decision. We did not meet our sales target last year and so we are having to let go of some people involved in our home shopping business.

"Our aim is to minimise the effect on our staff and to ensure our fullest support for those colleagues leaving the business."

Grattan has grown over the last few years - increasing its staffing from 3,000 in the late 1980s to 5,000 now to become Bradford's biggest single private sector employer.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.