Pressure is to be put on Thomas Cook bosses to try and get the firm to reconsider their shock decision to close the company's Bradford operations centre with the loss of 468 jobs.

Bradford Council leader, Coun David Green and Brian Brock from the TSSA union, which represents most of the Bradford staff, are pressing for a hearing by the travel company's executives.

Coun Green and Mr Brock, TSSA’s senior officer for the North East, have both criticised Thomas Cook chiefs for the way they have handled the closure, with both confirming they heard from the media of plans to close the Aldermanbury building between next December and March.

They will meet on Monday to discuss how to help call centre staff who are facing the axe by next March, as well as drawing up plans on how to tackle the travel firm.

The move follows a scathing attack on Thomas Cook by TSSA leader Manuel Cortes, who said: “Thomas Cook is largely in the mess it is because of the mismanagement of former chief executive, Manny Fontenela, who was paid an astonishing £15 million for driving the company towards the very edge of the cliff. Now hundreds of our members are going to pay the price of that mismanagement with their jobs while he has ridden off into the sunset with all the loot. It is a scandal."

Mr Fontenela-Novoa left the firm last year with a controversial £1 million plus pay-off.

Thomas Cook has suffered £300 million of losses and was forced to go to its banks for an additional £200 million of loans to secure its future.

Coun Green said he had been told by a Thomas Cook executive that the decision was partly due to the impending expiry of its lease on the office block, which is owned by part of the Aviva insurance group.

“He said the Bradford operation cost 'more per desk' than other centres in Falkirk, Preston and Peterborough, whatever that means, " said Coun Green.

Mr Brock said the closure announcement had come out of the blue, especially as the TSSA had been dealing with the company for several months over changes, including job cuts, in its travel agency chain.

He said: " I'm trying to get to the bottom of what's happening in Bradford and why. In the meantime, our focus will be to try and support those staff whose jobs are at risk, whether or not hey are TSSA members, I am meeting with Coun Green next week to see how we can work together to try and get the company to think again about this decision."

Thomas Cook said the closure plans were part of a 'location strategy review' by the firm, which has operated the Aldermanbury office since 2000.

There are currently 537 staff based at the city centre site and 69 will be transferred to Cook's other local operations centre at Birkenshaw, which employs 113 people, leaving 468 people at risk of redundancy.