BUSINESS AS USUAL

ADMINISTRATORS battling to save 900 jobs at ITV Digitals Pembroke Dock call centre have assured staff that it is business as usual this week. Accountancy firm Deloitte and Touche hopes to transform ITV Digital into a viable company by cutting its costs. If it fails, the network and the call centre exclusively handling all its customer inquiries could close. The High Court put the company into administration on Wednesday because it could no longer honour its multi-million contract with the Football League. Administrator Nick Dargan says funding is in place to enable the business to continue in the short term and that, at this stage, there will be no impact on employees. The uncertainty is a huge blow to the Pembrokeshire economy. But there is defiant optimism among the call centre staff who stand to lose their jobs if the rescue attempt fails. Former photographer John Lovell, a customer service representative at the centre, is upbeat. This is the most up-to-date and well-equipped call centre in the country, no-one is expecting it to close, says Mr Lovell, of Narberth. The administrators havent been called in to wind the company up, they are here to make it work. His boss, Cathy Corboy, is quick to praise the staff but admits she is unable to give them the reassurances they are looking for. Clearly, there are questions from the staff about what may lie ahead and we dont yet have all the answers, she says. Many staff live in or around Pembroke Dock, where some retailers have expanded as a direct result of extra income from call centre salaries. Pembroke Dock Chamber of Trade chairman Phil Tallett worries for their future and for the people employed at the centre. There are an awful lot of young people working up there, people who were unemployed and others who gave up jobs to go there. There is very little alternative employment for them in this area, he says. The administrators will spend the next two weeks restructuring the company before reporting to the High Court on April 15th.