More than 200 jobs are set to be axed in Bradford as plans were announced to close two businesses.

The jobs of 218 workers at Initial Wear4work, in Legrams Lane, and Initial Garment Services, in Northside Road, are under threat after parent company Rentokil Initial announced plans to close its UK linen and workwear services.

The Initial Wear4work factory, which manufactures overalls, is to be shut down entirely.

Initial Garment Services, which provides laundry services, is also to be closed with some jobs redeployed to a washroom and dustmat business at the Northside Road site, which is to remain open. The two factories employ 266 staff.

In a twist for Bradford workers, Rentokil had announced yesterday that up to 1,700 workers nationally faced redundancy as it cut its losses in the linen and workwear business, but insisted the Bradford factories would not be affected. However, the company later retracted this. When the Telegraph & Argus contacted Rentokil Initial at 10am yesterday, a spokesman said: "We operate two services in Bradford, both of which will be completely unaffected by the cuts. It is business as usual at these sites." However, at 3pm, the spokesman admitted: "The figures we had then were incomplete and we can confirm 218 potential redundancies. We can only apologise for this error."

The spokesman added: "We will try wherever possible to redeploy to our other businesses in the Bradford area."

Leaving the factory, one employee who did not wish to be named said: "It's not good news, especially considering I have worked here since I was 16 years old but what can you do?"

Rentokil has been trying to sell its linen and garment services for 11 months after it made a £5 million operating loss during 2004. However the bid proved unsuccessful and the firm yesterday said that sales attempts had been scuppered by fears over spiralling costs.

Announcing 1,700 potential redundancies nationally, Rentokil said the business had suffered from a significant lack of investment, had an inefficient distribution structure and had pursued a "flawed commercial strategy" for many years.

The GMB union today vowed to pursue the interests of employees at the factories.

Rachel Dix, regional organiser for the union said they planned to meet the Bradford bosses today.

She said: "We are shocked and taken aback by the announcement. I will be holding a meeting today with bosses and asking what economic reasons for the selling off of this part of the business and what efforts have been made to find a buyer and to secure a sale.

"I know for a fact that contracts haven't been renewed with the firm."

l The move came a day after Rentokil Initial announced it had extended its core pest control business by buying out an American company in an £80 million deal. It bought out JC Ehrlich, a pest control business with 42 outlets across America.