Wrightbus: House sale fears for ex-worker

The futures of many ex-Wrightbus workers is uncertain after job losses

A man who lost his job at Wrightbus fears the sale of his house may now fall through as a potential buyer also worked for the company.

Mervyn Wilkinson was made redundant on Wednesday when the company collapsed.

He was among 1,200 workers who lost their jobs as the Ballymena company best known for making the 'Boris Buses' failed to find a new buyer.

Mr Wilkinson said that the situation may change his house sale and his family is now feeling the impact.

Speaking to BBC News NI, he said: "We have the house up for sale, a sale was agreed a few weeks ago, it's agreed at the moment but the buyer works in our place, whether it goes through or not I don't know.

"Now my wife is stressed about work, we are all stressed as we don't know what is happening with the news yesterday morning."

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'Hopeful of a buyer'

Talks with two potential buyers of the firm, best known for building the New Routemaster, known as the Boris Bus, failed to reach a conclusion last week.

Mr Wilkinson said that the job loss came as a shock.

He said: "We were always led to believe that everything was good, everything was positive, they [Wrightbus] were hopeful of a buyer.

"Any meetings we had... with senior management... were always positive until yesterday morning when we were told otherwise."

Mervyn Wilkinson fears the company's collapse will affect his house sale

The Wright family, who founded Wrightbus in 1946, said "global changes from diesel to electric in bus technology have caused a sharp decline in demand for buses in the UK".

It leaves an uncertain future for the workers who lost their jobs as a result.

Mr Wilkinson said "We have to hold tight for a few days just to see what is going to materialise.

"I imagine we would have to withdraw if the offer for our house is withdrawn. It's all just up in the air at the moment."

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, union officials called for the immediate intervention of the British government.

They said they sought meetings with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NI Secretary Julian Smith, who they said they must "stand up for British industry".

On Wednesday, Norman Stephens worked at Wrightbus for 30 years spoke of his devastation.

"Who is going to employ a 62-year-old man? I have nothing now. That's it."

Latest accounts show that the Wrightbus group lost £1.7m on a turnover of £227m in 2017.

The UK has traditionally been Wrightbus's biggest market but it has been contracting for over two years.