Tesco brings 1,000 jobs to Tyneside

Oct 29 2009 By Adam Jupp, The Journal

Quorum Development Partners Development Director Fergus Trim said: "We are thrilled that Tesco Bank has chosen to base its insurance customer service centre at Quorum Business Park.

"We have been investing heavily in the infrastructure and amenities at Quorum and are pleased this is enticing in major occupiers of the size and quality of Tesco.

"When we re-launched Quorum earlier this year on the back of the new £180m phase of development, a major focus was targeting major PLCs from outside the region.

"Newcastle and Quorum have so much to offer these companies and I’m delighted that Tesco Bank is hopefully the first of many to look to invest in and bring new jobs to the North East."

The funding given to Tesco Bank is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund 2007-13.

The Grant for Business Investment is part of Solutions for Business, the Government’s package of publicly funded support products offering help to companies.

One North East worked with Tyne & Wear Development Company and North Tyneside Council on the deal.

One North East chief executive Alan Clarke said: "This is an extremely exciting and important project, creating a state of the art financial contact centre and 1,000 jobs in North Tyneside.

"This is a real vote of confidence by Tesco Bank in the North East economy. They recognised the ability of the region’s workforce to deliver this important project as it would have been simple to outsource these jobs to its facility in India."

North Tyneside MP Stephen Byers said: "This is a major investment in North Tyneside and a significant number of jobs coming to an area that is need of this boost."

Paul Buie, manager of Tyne and Wear Development Company, said: "We’ve been working with Tesco, its consultants and partners for a number of months to make this possible. It’s a huge project and a major investment for Tyne and Wear."