Plea to fill void left in Barnoldswick after firm set to relocate (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Plea to fill void left in Barnoldswick after firm set to relocate

4:20pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

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A FRESH plan has been hatched to try and create up to 60 jobs which are set to be lost in a Pendle town.

Bosses at Leggett and Platt in Barnoldswick announced last month that part of their operation will be moving to Grimethorpe, near Barnsley.

And while management pledged to safeguard any positions for those willing to commute from West Craven to South Yorkshire, few are understood to have taken up the offer.

But now borough councillor David Whipp is calling on economic development chiefs to work with the spring manufacturers to kickstart fledgling new businesses in the space left behind at Leggett's.

Coun Whipp said: "We have had these spring production jobs in Barnoldswick for more than 60 years.

"The fact is that literally and figuratively they have helped to put the bounce into Barnoldswick - we are pre-eminently an area for manufacturing."

He added: "Clearly there will be large space in the factory, once their machines are removed, and people lose their work.

"But in that space we may be able to create new enterprises and I would resolve that we approach Lancashire County Developments Ltd (the county council's business enterprise arm) to consider if they can assist with this.

"We could then approach Leggett and Platt about the vacant property and this may assist in retaining some of the range of jobs in West Craven."

Coun Margaret Bell, chairman of Pendle council's West Craven committee, said she had toured the site with manager Graeme Buchanan and been promised that Legget's were still committed to the town.

"They did give a commitment that should the market grow then they would look at coming back to Barnoldswick in future," she added.

And Coun Chris Tennant said he had been told by one worker, who had made the trip between Barnoldswick and Grimethorpe, that there were no easy commuter routes and the journey could take up to two hours.

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