Nestlé: Newcastle taskforce meets to discuss factory closure

The factory in Fawdon, Newcastle, is due to close next year

A taskforce has been formed to try and help hundreds of workers set to lose their jobs when the Nestlé factory in Newcastle closes next year.

The food giant is due to shut the Fawdon site and move production to plants in West Yorkshire and parts of Europe with about 475 jobs lost.

The group has agreed to deliver a plan to support the workforce in finding new jobs and explore options for the site.

Nestlé described the taskforce as a "constructive collaboration".

The site in Rowan Drive has been producing confectionery since 1958 including Fruit Pastilles, Toffee Crisps and Rolos.

Nestlé had said the majority of production currently in the North East would move to Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Some will move to factories in the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

• 'You think a sweet factory will be there forever'

Newcastle City Council confirmed the taskforce met recently and agreed to deliver a plan "to support the workforce" to find suitable alternative employment if necessary" and to "explore options" for the site that would benefit the community.

Women packaging Easter eggs at Fawdon in the 1960s

Chief executive Pam Smith called the meeting "an important step".

She said: "Whilst we remain deeply disappointed by the decision to close the factory, we are working constructively with both Nestlé and local and regional representatives to ensure that all employees are supported to find alternative employment and the site is reused to maximise the benefit for the immediate area."

The group also includes union representatives and local business workers.

A representative for Nestlé said: "We said from the outset that we do not underestimate the impact that the closure of Fawdon factory would have on the local area and that we want to work with the community to find ways that we can support the area and our employees.

"This taskforce is about bringing everybody together in a constructive collaboration to find ways to achieve those aims."