Banham Poultry: Covid outbreak factory loses £4m worth of chicken

Banham Poultry reopened on last week after it closed in August

The boss of a chicken factory hit by a coronavirus outbreak said the firm had to get rid of almost £4m worth of birds.

Banham Poultry, based in Attleborough, Norfolk, had to close on 27 August but reopened last week.

More than 120 of its staff have tested positive for Covid-19 and the shutdown cost the business about £2m a week.

Managing director Blaine van Rensburg said: "It does put the company in danger."

But he said the firm was "working with the government whether there can be any [financial] support" and there were no plans for closure.

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The closure of the factory meant 2.2m chickens were not processed and the company had to cull about 380,000.

Mr van Rensburg said the total stock loss was £3.8m.

"I don't think there are many business that can sustain a £3.8m hit to their income", he added.

Banham Poultry has introduced thermal imaging and a dry disinfectant mist through which staff and visitors enter, and a one-way system across the entire site.

Mr van Rensburg said the staff were "safer on our site than they would be going into any supermarket in town".

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