Bakkavor: Spalding factory to close with 500 jobs at risk

Bakkavor blamed the coronavirus pandemic and difficult trading conditions for the closure

A food production factory which employs 500 people will be permanently closed, it has been announced.

Bakkavor in Spalding blamed the pandemic and difficult trading conditions for the closure of one of its four factories at West Marsh Road.

The factory, which produces salad products, will close between October and December, the company confirmed.

It said it was committed to finding alternative roles for those affected by the closure.

In a statement, Bakkavor said: "We announced in June that we were entering into several consultations with employees at our Spalding site, where we have two salads factories, two meals factories and a distribution centre.

"Our proposals involved making changes to our salads factories, which included the closure of Factory 1 and the simplification of the night shift pattern in the deli.

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"Over the past 12 months both factories have come under increasing pressure due to the impact of a business loss at the beginning of 2020 and more recently the impact of the pandemic crisis.

"We've been working closely with our colleagues..., and Unite throughout the consultation process and can confirm that no viable solutions were put forward to our ongoing challenges."

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The firm said some staff had already been redeployed and it was "fully committed" to finding alternative roles "for all who want to remain with us".

Meanwhile, the firm said a "small number of colleagues" had tested positive for coronavirus at its dessert factory in Newark, which employs 1,600 people.