Danske Bank is moving its Northern Ireland call centre staff from Dunmurry to its Belfast city centre headquarters at the end of next year.

About 250 employees currently work at the call centre in Dunmurry, a suburb south of Belfast. The relocation follows a multi-million-pound refurbishment of the head office.

Julie-Ann Haines, chief executive of Danske Bank UK, said creating a shared home in the city centre would strengthen collaboration, teamwork, and a one-bank culture.

Haines added that the bank had invested significantly in refurbishing branches in recent years and that it was now right to focus on the head office environment, making it more modern, future-ready, and connected.

The move comes after Carsten Egeriis, chief executive of parent company Danske Bank Group, told analysts last week that there could be a look at whether there is or could be a better owner for the Northern Ireland operation. The Northern Ireland business is not actively being offered for sale.