NEARLY 200 workers at a pharmaceutical giant in Eastleigh are today reeling over controversial plans to relocate nearly 80 miles away.

Pfizer markets and sells non-prescription medicines like Calpol and Benylin from its consumer healthcare operations in the railway town.

But now bosses are keen to place the business under the roof of Pfizer's £75m headquarters in the heart of the Surrey countryside.

It is understood that many staff at the Eastleigh offices are upset by the prospect because of the travelling distance involved.

A round-trip car commute to the HQ at Walton Oaks, near Tadworth, would take nearly three hours, while a return train journey takes well over four hours.

Such difficult commuting times would effectively prevent many local employees, especially those with families, from being able to make the move.

However, a decision on the relocation won't be made until the second half of October, following consultation with staff.

Andy Rush, the vice president of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, said that the company will be "listening" to workers to hear their concerns.

As reported in the Eastleigh edition of the Daily Echo yesterday, Pfizer insisted the relocation idea wasn't about making redundancies through the back door.

Bitter pill for Pfizer workers - see Business news section.