MORE than 200 people face redundancy this week as Lloyds bank closes its Southend call centre.

Of the 670 employees based at Essex House, in Southchurch Road, 210 remain at risk of compulsory redundancy.

A total of 281 have left on early release with a redundancy package, or have been redeployedwithin the banking group, while 179 requested voluntary redundancy.

Essex House is to close on Saturday, but some employees say they have been left confused over their redundancy.

Michael Lynch, 25, from Southend, received a letter at home informing him his contract was terminated as of December 4, but there was no mention of his expected redundancy of £5,206.

He said: “I was working nights and most of my team had already left, but I was expecting this money and with Christmas coming up I know don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Lloyds is shutting its Southend centre because it is running fewer, but larger sites and because the lease on Essex House runs out at the end of the year.

A spokesman for Lloyds said it could not comment on individual cases, but all those offered redundancy should receive it.