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Amazon is set to create 275 driver jobs after leasing two warehouses in Surrey and Leicestershire.

Both warehouses are former supermarket distribution centres, fuelling speculation the online giant is about to launch a grocery service in the UK.

Amazon already operates its grocery service Amazon Fresh in the US in New York, California and Seattle, as well as selling a wide range of household goods online.

Amazon confirmed the opening of both delivery centres but declined to comment on whether it is launching Amazon Fresh in the UK.

Clegg Food Projects, which puts together food and drink operations for major clients, is understood to be revamping the Weybridge warehouse for Amazon.

Clegg recently confirmed it has been awarded a major warehouse refurbishment project in Surrey but did not give details.

The 250,000ft² warehouse at Bardon in Leicestershire, is a former Waitrose delivery centre whilst the 300,000ft² Weybridge warehouse in Surrey, near Junction 11 of the M25, was a Tesco DC until 2013.

The Bardon centre will replace a smaller warehouse in Castle Donnington which currently uses four delivery companies, employing 240 drivers.

The Barton site will contract a total of eight delivery companies which will hire a further 135 drivers. The site has docking space for 42 lorries, as well as offices and parking for 400 cars. Waitrose had 420 staff working at the centre efore it scaled back its operations in Bardon in 2013.

Amazon said the site will allow its Amazon Logistics division to handle more parcels across the Midlands region. It will also see Amazon Logistics increase its directly employed workforce from 20 to 40. The centre will open in September.

The Weybridge site will use four delivery companies employing 140 drivers and will open in the autumn.

The two new sites bring the total of Amazon’s UK delivery stations to 15. It also has eight fulfilment centres with the latest opening last month in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.

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