More than 30 property staff have been made redundant by Bradford-based supermarket giant Morrisons .

Although the cuts mainly affect staff in the field, some people have also been axed from the company's property department at its head office in Gain Lane, Thornbury .

It is understood that the responsibility for property and maintenance work has been outsourced to a company called Maintenance Management Limited, a facilities management firm based in Milton Keynes, with remaining Morrisons people being transferred to that company.

The property department was responsible for the development and maintenance of Morrisons’ estate, which includes more than 400 supermarkets around the UK, as well as distribution centres, convenience stores and the head office at Hilmore House, which houses more than 2,500 staff.

One former Morrisons’ property manager who has lost his job but wished to remain anonymous, told the Telegraph & Argus the changes had been forced through by senior managers under pressure to cut costs.