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TalkTalk to relocate HQ and hundreds of staff to Salford

The firm said it would shift ‘several hundred’ employees from its existing HQ to the new office in Manchester next year.

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TalkTalk

Telecoms group TalkTalk has confirmed plans to shift its headquarters from London to Salford in a move impacting hundreds of staff.

The firm said it would shift “several hundred” employees from its existing HQ to the new office in Manchester next year, while also creating new posts, including graduate and apprentice positions.

Around 500 staff work in the London HQ and all will be given the opportunity to relocate, although TalkTalk will be retaining a small satellite office in London with fewer than 100 staff.

It comes after TalkTalk opened a large, state-of-the-art office in Salford in 2017 to house its technology and business teams, which had previously been based in Warrington and Irlam.

Chief executive Tristia Harrison said: “We’ve always had a base in the North West, but we want to build on that heritage and create a world-class campus for the whole business.

“As with any change, we are committed to supporting all of our colleagues during this transition period.”

In half-year results also announced on Wednesday, TalkTalk reported pre-tax losses narrowing to £4 million in the six months to September 30 from £95 million a year earlier.

Interim underlying earnings rose to £101 million from £75 million a year ago.

It saw a slowdown in growth in broadband customers, with its overall broadband base increasing by 24,000 in the second quarter against 80,000 in the previous three months.

But it said it saw fibre customer additions on a net basis – those joining less those leaving – rise to 125,000 in the second quarter, up from 67,000 in the previous three months.

Its rate of so-called churn – customers quitting the group – fell to its lowest ever level of 1.1% in the second quarter as it continues to move on from the major cyber attack in 2015, which saw the personal data of nearly 160,000 people accessed by hackers.

It has since been restructuring and saving costs across the group.

On the HQ move, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Salford is already home to the second largest cluster of digital businesses outside London and the city is working hard to grow the digital skills and talent for the future.

“TalkTalk relocating their headquarters and executive team here and creating hundreds of new, high quality, technical, digital jobs speaks volumes for the success of our investment in a digital future.”

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