EXCLUSIVE: Barclays to close mortgage centre in Wales, cutting 180 jobs - sources

By Andrew MacAskill and Lawrence White

LONDON (Reuters) - Barclays Plc is to close a mortgage centre in Cardiff, Wales, with the loss of more than 180 jobs, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, as the bank continues a major restructuring to cut costs.

The employees at the centre were told about the job losses this morning, sources familiar with the cuts told Reuters.

A spokesman for Barclays confirmed the closure, saying 60 jobs would be cut while 144 further positions would be relocated to Liverpool and Leeds.

"We appreciate that for some staff they may wish to take a redundancy option and this will be available," the spokesman said in an emailed statement.

Workers' union Unite condemned the closure.

"This highly skilled and dedicated workforce will be made redundant and we call on Barclays to think again and reverse this decision," Unite regional officer Steve Pantak said in an emailed statement.

Barclays in common with other British banks has been closing branches, cutting jobs and selling unwanted assets in its retail and investment bank as it seeks to become more profitable.

Barclays Chief Executive Jes Staley on Feb. 23 said the bank would close its 'non-core' division of unwanted assets in June, 6 months ahead of schedule.

(Reporting By Andrew MacAskill and Lawrence White; editing by Anjuli Davies and Jane Merriman)