The Bridlington office will also be closed down with the possible loss of another 45 jobs.

More than 90 offices across the UK will close and around 3,400 jobs could be lost as part of a series of cuts by HM Revenue and Customs.

The Scarborough office, in Northway, will close by spring 2011 with staff moves expected to begin early next year. Some workers will be offered transfers to York or Hull.

John Barrett, branch secretary for the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, said: "Today's news has been like a body blow. It follows a staff consultation exercise concluded in early August but there has been a long period of uncertainty for staff and HMRC have offered no explanation or apology for the delay in making today's announcement.

"Staff had conscientiously and diligently contributed to that consultation exercise only to discover from today's announcements that HMRC have shown no apparent interest in their views.

"The decision consigns local tax offices and the locally based public services that tax workers provide to the scrap heap. It feels like a smack in the face. Now, amidst the financial crisis, my members are left with an uncertain future and are fearing for their livelihood in the run-up to Christmas."

Mr Barrett added that the PCS would however like to acknowledge and thank Scarborough's MP Robert Goodwill and councillors David Jeffels, David Billing and Dilys Cluer for their help and support in the campaign to keep the HMRC office in Scarborough.

Mr Goodwill said: "It's very disappointing news, but no great surprise sadly. There was a consultation but I think they had already made up their minds.

"People with a high level of expertise and many years of service will now find themselves looking for other employment at the most difficult time in the last decade."

A spokesman from HM Revenue and Customs said: "HMRC's regional review programme, which began in 2006, has been a massive and complex task.

"These have not been easy decisions. However, the overriding consideration has to be the department's need to address new and challenging customer demands by restructuring its business and estate in the most effective and efficient way possible."

They added that a tax enquiry centre, where customers can get face-to-face advice, will still be provided in Scarborough but details have not been confirmed.