UNION bosses are set to meet the owners of the former Kays firm after it announced it is looking to leave Droitwich.

We exclusively revealed at the weekend that about 400 workers would have to relocate or take redundancy if the historic Worcester firm gets planning permission to move its sort centre from its site at the Berryhill Industrial Estate in Westbank to the former Peugeot plant at Ryton-on-Dunsmore near Coventry. The move could also see the remaining workforce of about 70 at the Worcester site in Bransford Road relocated.

Transport and General Workers Union spokesman Andrew Dodgson said members will talk with Home Delivery Network Ltd (HDNL) - which is a part of what used to be Reality, formerly Kays - about the proposals and explore the implications the move could have on Droitwich and the surrounding areas when they meet on Tuesday, May 1.

"The company told us at the back of last week that they were planning to move to another and bigger site to allow them to expand," said Mr Dodgson. "We want to sit with them and find out what the implications are for Droitwich bearing in mind there have been a number of reductions and closures over the last few years. We are concerned as to what the implications would be for the move and the alternatives within Droitwich for people."

HDNL said the new site could be operational by the middle of 2009, if planning applications are granted.