300 Amex staff face city transfer

Staff at the company's Napier House offices in Trafalgar Place, have been warned of a possible move to Burgess Hill.

Another 200 staff could be relocated to Amex's European headquarters in Edward Street, Brighton, home to about 3,000 staff.

The group, famous for it traveller's cheques, said it was considering its options following an approach from an unnamed company to buy Napier House.

A move of this scale would be a small knock for Brighton and Hove, where 119,000 people, 57 per cent of the working population, are employed in the service sector.

But it would be a welcome boost for Burgess Hill, which is still reeling from Amex's decision in May to transfer 188 jobs abroad as part of a major cost-cutting drive.

Some 123 jobs are being moved out of Sussex House to New Delhi in India, with the remaining 65 being transferred to a finance centre in Phoenix, USA.

Amex upset union officials by shipping in foreign workers to Burgess Hill to train alongside staff whose jobs they would eventually take.

The blue-chip company's move to the town would help to restore some of the goodwill lost earlier in the year.

Amex public affairs spokesman Jo Crockett said: "At American Express we continually look at ways to maximise our real estate across Sussex.

"On this occasion we were approached by another company which is looking to consolidate its customer services operations in Brighton.

"We were asked if were interested in rescinding the lease on the building and that is something we are discussing with our staff at the moment."

She added: "But it is still a question of if rather than when. Nothing has been signed."

Most of the staff affected work in technical support.

Paul Robinson, chairman of the Chamber of Trade in Burgess Hill said: "Any jobs coming up from Brighton to Burgess Hill would be tremendous news."

Amex is Brighton and Hove's biggest private sector employer with about 4,000 employees in Sussex, including just over 400 at Burgess Hill.