Seafood factories in Seaham and Whitehaven 'likely to close'

Closure of the plant in west Cumbria could result in 99 job losses

Seafood factories in Cumbria and County Durham could close after production is transferred to other facilities, with the loss of up to 380 jobs expected.

Young's Seafood Limited said the two former Cumbrian Seafoods plants in Seaham and Whitehaven could shut before the end of June.

Cumbrian Seafoods and its subsidiary Border Laird were bought by the firm after administrators were called in.

Consultations at the Border Laird plant in Amble, Northumberland, continue.

The loss of production at Seaham could see 281 jobs lost. In Whitehaven, 99 jobs are under threat.

'Phased transfer'

Pete Ward, chief operating officer of Young's Seafood Limited, said: "Following formal consultations at the former Cumbrian Seafoods (now known as Ocean Pure) sites in Seaham and Whitehaven lasting over three months, today we are announcing that volume from these sites will be transferred into Young's Seafood Limited's existing facilities because this has been identified as the most sustainable option for the long term.

"Unfortunately the phased transfer of volume is likely to result in the closure of the Seaham and Whitehaven sites with the loss of up to 281 jobs in Seaham and 99 jobs in Whitehaven, in the next month."

Mr Ward added: "The formal consultation at the former Cumbrian Seafoods sites at Border Laird in Amble continues.

"We are exploring options including the outline possibility of a sale of the site, and this on-going consultation process is not affected by the developments regarding Seaham or Whitehaven."

Cumbrian Seafoods was founded in Cumbria in 1997, but moved its main production facility to County Durham in 2007.