NESTLE is creating 73 jobs in York at a new customer service centre for Nespresso – the premium coffee business fronted in TV ads by George Clooney.

The news is a welcome boost for the city, coming in the wake of 350 job losses at Jarvis and another 100 jobs at risk at the printers Sessions, which have both gone into administration.

Nestlé UK boss Paul Grimwood said the Nespresso centre marked another step on the York site’s journey towards becoming a world-class, multi-purpose business centre fit for the future.

He said: “The announcement of the new Nespresso Customer Relationship Centre shows that York is a hub for Nestlé, both in the UK and globally.”

A spokesman said Nestlé UK was investing half a million pounds in establishing the centre, which would handle all calls and email contacts with Nespresso “Club Members” in the UK and Ireland. He said: “A team of 48 coffee specialists will start taking calls from October 2010, with plans to grow head-count to 73 by 2012.”

Brema Drohan, managing director of Nespresso UK and Ireland, said sales grew last year by 35.5 per cent in the UK and Ireland, and it made sense to establish a service operation in the UK.

Denise Stuart, chief executive of the inward investment agency york-england.com, said it was “fantastic news” that Nespresso was coming to York.

She said: “These are good-quality jobs and display Nestlé’s commitment to our city. In light of the recent news of Sessions and Jarvis, these jobs will be a welcome addition to York’s economy.”

Hugh Bayley, Labour prospective Parliamentary candidate for York Central, said: “This just goes to show that York continues to offer a competitive home for world-class businesses.” His Conservative rival, Susan Wade Weeks, said: “In a tough economic climate, it is great to see manufacturers like Nestlé continuing to invest in new jobs and skills in this region.”