Boots closes D&A support office

Alliance Boots has confirmed the closure of the Dollond & Aitchison support office in Aston, Birmingham, as it pushes ahead with plans to integrate the business with Boots Opticians following the merger of the two optical chains earlier this year.

Optician understands that the 192 staff at the Aston facility were told last Wednesday about the plans to combine the back-room functions of the two businesses in one location in Nottingham.

In a statement to Optician, a spokeswoman for Alliance Boots, said: 'Boots Opticians has proposed that all support office functions will be based in Nottingham by March 2011, with the first phase of the office moves taking place during January 2010.