Pure play e-tail giant Amazon is to open an office in London which will accommodate “several hundred existing employees”, it has been reported.
While the company will retain its UK headquarters in Slough, a new 210,000 sq ft office will be built at 60 Holborn Viaduct, The Bookseller reported, with the first phase of work set for completion in September this year.
Large enough to accommodate 1,600 employees, the office will have enough space to hold hundreds of future Amazon staff as Managing Director of Amazon Christopher North noted that the company is keen to increase staff numbers.
The newspaper quoted him as saying: “Amazon has over 6,000 permanent employees in the UK and we will continue to create thousands of jobs in the coming years across the UK.
“We look forward to drawing from the capital‘s strong pool of talent as we continue to innovate and enhance our service for the benefit of all our customers.”
However, last year Director of Public Policy at Amazon Andrew Cecil told the Government when questioned by the Public Accounts Committee over the e-tailer‘s tax practices, that the number of UK employees stood at 15,000, though noted that the larger figure incorporated temporary workers.
Amazon caused controversy earlier this month after it emerged that the company received more in Government grants in 2012 than it paid in corporate taxes, though Amazon claimed that it “pays all applicable taxes in every jurisdiction that it operates within.”
Despite this, Amazon has continued with its expansion plans, unveiling details of plans for futuristic headquarters in the US.
