Jobs at Plumb and Build Centers in east Kent are at risk after the shops’ parent company Wolseley announced branch closures and redundancies.

Wolseley says it will shed 2,000 jobs and close 200 UK branches after profits dropped 77 per cent following a slow down in the house building sector.

But it has not yet announced which branches will be axed.

Wolseley has Build Centers at Sturry Road, Canterbury, and London Road, Faversham. It also has Plumb Centers at Wincheap Industrial Estate, Canterbury, and the John Wilson Business Park in Whitstable.

In August and October, Wolseley laid off 5,050 jobs in America.