Wholesaler Solus Garden & Leisure has announced the closure of its Newcastle depot, saying the 25,000sq ft site has become too small for the volume of stock the company now handles.
From Monday, larger depots in Edinburgh and Birmingham will fulfil the Newcastle deliveries, and the 150 customers affected have been informed.

Consultations about possible relocation for the Newcastle depot's 14 staff members have also begun. Managing director Nick Davies told DIY Week: "We are looking at all the options available but no decision have been made as of yet."

The closure means Solus will now distribute from five depots across the UK. The company has recently added 250,000sq ft in the Midlands and plans to add extra space to the Edinburgh and Norwich sites.

Davies said the benefits of higher stock levels in the larger sites would substantially benefit customer service levels and business efficiency. He cited location and size as the two main reasons for closing the Newcastle depot and said: "It's a shame really, but the space was just too small."