If you ask for directions in Kirkby there’s always a fair chance the response will reference QVC. It has become a local landmark. “We are part of Knowsley and we are very proud to be here,” said James Keegan, VP of customer service and experience. QVC needs little introduction. A TV shopping channel originating in the US, the company launched its UK operation in 1993. Now QVC International is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US parent and operates as a standalone business. Although its headquarters are in London, its operational nerve centre is very much anchored in the mammoth complex in Kirkby, where it employs more than 1,000 people.