Key Points
- BT Group has confirmed plans to close its Liverpool city centre office at The Plaza on Old Hall Street.
- The move could affect 601 employees across BT Business, Openreach and government-outsourced 999 call handlers.
- Staff were informed on June 30, with a consultation process due to begin on July 20.
- Some employees may be offered relocation to BT offices in Manchester and Leeds, but that option will not suit everyone.
- BT says the plan is part of a wider strategy to modernise and optimise its workplace estate.
- Local reporting says the closure has triggered concern over possible job losses in Liverpool.
Liverpool city centre (Liverpool standard) July 13, 2026 – BT has confirmed it is proposing to close its uk/local/liverpool-city-centre/">Liverpool city centre office, a move that could leave 601 roles at risk. The office is based at The Plaza on Old Hall Street, and the company says the proposal follows a strategic review of its operations and estate. Some workers may be moved to other locations, including Manchester and Leeds, but BT has accepted that relocation will not be practical for all staff.
Why is BT making the change?
As reported by BT Group in a statement carried by ClickLiverpool, the company said it has been “modernising and optimising” its estate to ensure workplaces are “fit for the future” and provide the best possible environments for staff. That explanation places the closure within a broader restructuring pattern rather than a one-off local decision. The consultation period, due to start on July 20, suggests the final outcome has not yet been completed and could still change.
Which jobs are affected?
The reported impact reaches across several parts of BT’s operation in Liverpool. The 601 employees affected include staff in BT Business, Openreach workers and government-outsourced 999 call handlers. Liverpool Echo reported that the move has raised concerns locally, with MP Kim Johnson criticising the decision as an example of corporate cost-cutting.
What have local reports said?
Local coverage has stressed the scale of the impact and the uncertainty facing workers. The Sun described the announcement as a “devastating” closure that puts hundreds of jobs at risk, while Liverpool Echo focused on the potential loss of 600 jobs in the city. ISPreview reported that BT’s plan is part of a long-running modernisation programme across the group.c
Who said what?
As reported by the BT spokesperson quoted in ClickLiverpool, BT said: “BT has been modernising and optimising our estate to ensure our workplaces are fit for the future and provide the best possible environments for our people.” The same statement added that BT is “working closely with impacted colleagues” and that some staff are proposed to move to other locations. Liverpool Echo said Kim Johnson MP argued the decision showed the damage caused when choices are driven by corporate cost-cutting rather than the needs of workers and local communities.
Background of development
BT has been steadily reshaping its workplace footprint as part of wider operational change, and the Liverpool proposal fits that pattern. Companies in telecoms and broadband have increasingly tried to consolidate offices, move functions between sites and reduce estate costs as hybrid working and digital operations change how staff are deployed. In this case, the Liverpool office at The Plaza is the centre of the current dispute because of the number of employees tied to it and the possible knock-on effect for the city centre workforce.
Prediction
For Liverpool workers, the main immediate effect is likely to be uncertainty during consultation, especially for people who cannot relocate to Manchester or Leeds. If the closure goes ahead, it could reduce footfall and spending linked to the office workforce in the city centre, while also increasing pressure on employees facing commuting or redundancy decisions. For BT customers and services, the wider impact will depend on how the company redistributes staff and whether the change disrupts operations during the transition.
