Thomas Cook staff talk of shock and anger at store closures

Thomas Cook staff who have been told their shops have been earmarked for closure have spoken of their shock at Wednesday's announcement.

The company revealed that 2,500 jobs were under consultatation, more than 900 of which will be from the retail estate. The rest will be back office roles at its premises in Accrington, Peterborough, Preston and Egham.

One staff member who wanted to remain anonymous and who was told her shop would soon be closing told Travel Weekly:

"We feel we've been treated absolutely appallingly. We are an A performing store and we were told categorically by our regional sales manager that no shop closures were imminent.

"We have very long-standing staff in our store. We have worked so hard during peaks, including Sundays and evenings with no extra pay, just to make the shop a success.

"We've been told not to tell any customers or staff who aren't in today about the closures, we just have to smile and get on with it. The staff have been left reeling, we feel shocked and sick."

Another staff member wrote on travelweekly.co.uk: "How sad and unfair, I have two kids, rent and I feel like my life has just been put in to overload, what will I do?"

A stream of comments, many purporting to be from staff, on Travel Weekly's original story revealed the depth of anger among many employees who are either facing redundancy or changes to their current terms of employment, as Cook confirmed to Sky News yesterday.

Recruitment consultants have suggested some Cook staff may become homeworkers, while others may be forced to leave the industry.